Christoph Waltz To Play Gorbachev In Reykjavik

The world sat on stitches as the Cold War raged. Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met in Iceland as the world glared. Would the world order of two superpowers on the brink end after decades of a nuclear arms race come to a close? Would a Communist and a Republican actually come to an understanding? Could Mikhail and Ronnie get along? If Nancy and Raisa were any indication, that would be a - no! The meeting that might have ended the U.S.-Soviet standoff is of course heading to the big screen and Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz will portray Gorbachev in Reykjavik.

Production will begin in March on the meeting that riveted the world in the Icelandic capital. The high stakes meeting pitted two men who had control of enough nuclear bombs to destroy the world many times over. Waltz will star opposite Michael Douglas who will play the U.S. President in the film spearheaded by Mike Newell, according to BBC and THR.

"I feel very fortunate to have two such masters to portray the men who brought about the end of the third great war of the 20 Century. Reagan and Gorbachev were two of the most significant politicians and individuals of their times," said Newell. "I'm very excited to see how each of these great actors gets to grips with their role as the history-changing giants we remember them to have been."

Written by Kevin Hood (Becoming Jane) the story recounts the summit which was viewed as a last chance to avoid a nuclear Armageddon.

"This is a moment in history where two world leaders with fundamentally opposing beliefs held the future of the world in their hands”, said Headline Pictures president Stewart Mackinnon, a project producer. "They controlled nuclear arsenals which had the capability to destroy the world many times over but despite this, put the needs of humanity before their ideology and agreed to end the nuclear arms race. Informed by deeply-held private beliefs Reagan and Gorbachev reached an understanding that we can still draw lessons from today."

"The film will offer the viewer a unique look into two larger than life figures – Reagan and Gorbachev – who served as the catalysts for one of the most defining moments in our history, the end of the cold war," said Ridley Scott whose Scott Free Productions will also produce.

Waltz will next be seen in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, while Douglas most recently portrayed flamboyant pianist Liberace in Behind the Candelabra with Matt Damon.

[Sources: BBC and THR]