La La Land and Whiplash director Damien Chazelle to direct Ryan Gosling in Neil Armstrong biopic

The Oscar-winning co-writer of Spotlight is penning the script

(Getty Images)

In just two years, Damien Chazelle has embedded himself as one of Hollywood's most acclaimed filmmakers following the breathless Whiplash and enchanting La La Land.

If he wants to make it three for three, Chazelle will have to flex his biopic muscles - next up he'll be directing a film based on the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong starring his La La Land co-lead Ryan Gosling.

The film will chart NASA's mission to land a man on the moon and Armstrong's historic success in doing so in 1969.

Chazelle has been attached to the source material - James Hansen's biography First Man: A Life of Neil A - for years. The project was originally set to be overseen by Sully director Clint Eastwood who eventually passed up the opportunity.

The biopic's script is being written by Josh Singer who co-penned last year's Best Picture Oscar-winner Spotlight (which was one of our best films of 2016).

Chazelle, now 31, earned an Oscar nod for Whiplash in 2015, and is strongly expected to be named in the next round of nominations when they're announced on 24 January; La La Land - which also stars Emma Stone - is a strong contender to claim the main prize having not only swept the board at the Critics' Choice Award but earned six Golden Globe nominations.

It will be released in the UK on 16 January.