Peter Bogdanovich ("The Last Picture Show", "The Cat's Meow") will direct "The Broken Code," a biopic about the research scientist whose X-ray photographs played a key role in James Watson's and Francis Crick's discovery of DNA's double-helical structure reports Variety.
David Baxter's script is based on Anne Sayre's book "Rosalind Franklin and DNA," which is set in the world of competitive science and explores Franklin's life along with Watson's downplaying of her contribution in his 1968 memoir "The Double Helix".
Franklin, who died of cancer in 1958, never knew Watson had seen her X-ray photographs. Her death prevented her from challenging Watson's book or being considered for the Nobel Prize, which cannot be awarded posthumously.
Casting for "Broken Code" will begin next month, with the aim of going into production in September or October.
