Gary Oldman to star in David Fincher’s biopic of Citizen Kane co-writer

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

It's been nearly five years since the release of David Fincher's last film, 2014's GONE GIRL, but the director is finally moving forward on his next project, a biopic centered around Herman Mankiewicz, a newspaper man who became a screenwriter of many films, including Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE.

Given how much time David Fincher spent on the WORLD WAR Z sequel before Paramount pulled the plug, it's gratifying to know that Fincher will be stepping behind the camera once again. The new project, known as MANK, is expected to begin shooting this fall and Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR) is set to play the leading role of Herman Mankiewicz. The film is being set up at Netflix, and, in keeping with the Golden Age of Hollywood vibe, will be presented in black and white. MANK has been something of a passion project for David Fincher as he initially wanted to take on the project after making THE GAME back in 1997. Fincher's late father, Jack Fincher, wrote the script.

After working for the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, Herman Mankiewicz was recruited by Paramount Pictures to come work in the movie business, later convincing several of his fellow journalists to join him, including Ben Hecht, whom he told, "Millions are to be grabbed out here and your only competition is idiots." Mankiewicz went on to work on films such as GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, THE WIZARD OF OZ, PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, and more, but it's CITIZEN KANE, and the controversy surrounding it, which he's most known for. After collaborating on the script with Orson Welles, the pair began bickering over who wrote what and Mankiewicz even accused Welles of offering to buy him out in exchange for sole credit.