Ron Howard and AGC Studios Set to Produce Biopic of Famed Pianist Lang Lang

Ron Howard to Create Lang Lang Biopic

AGC Studios will be fully financing an as of now untitled biopic about the famed pianist Lang Lang from Oscar-winning director Ron Howard.

The movie about the world-renowned concert pianist will be produced by Howard’s longtime creative partner Brian Grazer as well as Karen Lunder, the President of Imagine Entertainment Features, and AGC Studios Stuart Ford. The screenplay is by Michelle and Kieran Mulroney, the team behind Paper Man and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. It’s story is based on Journey of a Thousand Miles, a memoir that Lang Lang wrote with David Ritz.

Lang Lang is widely considered one of the greatest classical pianists alive, beloved for his dramatic playing style. However his rise to the pinnacle of the music world came at a great personal cost. His childhood was marred by the collapse of his parents’ marriage and the difficult financial situation of his family. After moving to America with his father, Lang Lang attended the Curtis Institute of Music where he was mentored by Gary Graffman, an masterful instructor whose other students include Haochen Zhang and Yuja Wang. This set Lang Lang off on a great journey that has included everything from appearances at the Vatican, the Grammys, and the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Howard, who has experience directing musician biopics in his documentaries The Beatles: Eight Days A Week and Pavarotti, is expected to start work on the Lang Lang film after completing Thirteen Lives — a thriller about the Thai Cave Rescue of twelve Thai schoolboys and their soccer coach — for MGM. Howard’s film credits include Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, as well as the upcoming Hillbilly Elegy.

Grazer and Howard said in a joint statement, “Lang Lang’s story is one of determination, passion, sacrifice, and finding the inner strength to beat the odds, … This film is a bridge between two cultures that share universal truths about the gauntlets we face in the pursuit of greatness.”

“Dream big, work hard and always believe in yourself. This movie, thanks to Ron Howard’s vision, will inspire young people around the world to follow their dreams and never forget they are one in a million,” said Lang Lang in a press statement.

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