Oscar-winner Sydney Pollack is to direct a film about the controversial US presidential election of 2000, the Hollywood Reporter has said.
Recount, made by HBO Films, will focus on those involved in the month of legal challenges which preceded the declaration of George W Bush as winner.
His rival, Al Gore, retracted his concession of defeat on election night when the race became too close to call.
Pollack earned Academy Awards for best director and picture on Out of Africa.
"It's a very compelling piece that takes a well-known event and deconstructs it from the point of view of the people involved," HBO Films president Colin Callender told the publication.
He added that there would be no politicial agenda, preferring instead to look "at the election process".
The script for the film has been written by actor Danny Strong, who spoke to numerous people linked to the recount, according to executive producer Paula Weinstein.
She told the Hollywood Reporter: "Nobody would be able to deal with the complexity of the issues and [convey] the dramatic twists and turns of the story with honesty and truthfulness better than Sydney."
'Irregularities'
The contest, in November 2000, saw Democratic candidate Mr Gore gaining the majority of votes across the United States.
But the country's intricate electoral college system meant the overall result hinged on the outcome in the state of Florida.
As it turned out, if 269 people there had voted differently, Mr Bush would not have won the election for the Republicans.
Legal challenges were made following reports of voting irregularities, and eventually it came down to the US Supreme Court in Washington DC.
Its decision to effectively rule out any further recounts of disputed votes led to the declaration of victory for Mr Bush.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~50~RS~)