Movies

'Succession' star Jeremy Strong to play Jonas Salk in biopic

By Karen Butler   |   March 31, 2021 at 8:41 AM
Jeremy Strong is to play Dr. Jonas Salk in a new biopic. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI Shawn Levy attends the 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in downtown in 2018. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI

March 31 (UPI) -- Jeremy Strong has signed on to play Dr. Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine, in the film, Splendid Solution.

Gillian Weeks is writing the screenplay based on Jeffrey Kluger's book by the same title.

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"So honored to write this movie at a time like this and for people like these," Weeks tweeted Tuesday. "Thanks to my wonderful creative partners @21LapsEnt @ShawnLevyDirect and @BronStudios, and of course the extraordinary Jeremy Strong."

The project was announced as millions of people are getting vaccinated for the coronavirus.

"We can't think of a more timely story to tell -- of one man's journey to save the world from a devastating pandemic while overcoming misinformation from the media ... and how he believed so much in the vaccine that he tested it on himself and his children to prove to the world that it was safe," producers Shawn Levy and Dan Levine said in a statement.

Strong is known for his roles in Succession and The Trial of the Chicago 7.