James Marsh is no stranger to the Oscars season having won Best Documentary a few years ago for Man on Wire, and with his film The Theory of Everything a contender for Best Picture all eyes are on what he'll do next. Last year Colin Firth revealed that Marsh was on board to direct him in Deep Water, the long-developing biopic on amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst, and now it has been confirmed.
Marsh will direct and Firth will star in the film, penned by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion) and centering on Crowhurst's doomed attempt to win the World Yacht Race in 1968. A wealthy businessman, Crowhurst had a special boat designed for the race but fell into problems almost immediately due to his lack of navigational skills. After an attempt to cheat by lying about his location failed, Crowhurst spent weeks leaving strange radio transmissions until those stopped and he was never heard from again. Kate Winslet had been attached to play Crowhurst's wife at one point but that doesn't seem to be happening at this point.
Filming is set to begin in the spring. [Deadline]
