'45 Years' Director Andrew Haigh To Helm Alexander McQueen Biopic

After honors and nominations from the Berlin International Film Festival, BAFTAs, National Board Of Review, European Film Awards, and more Andrew Haigh heads into next month with one more feather in his cap for “45 Years” — the first Oscar nomination for Charlotte Rampling. It has been quiet a journey for the director, and the success he’s experienced means more doors are opening.

Deadline reports that Haigh has signed to direct a biopic about late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Playwright Chris Urch will be writing and researching the script, that will be partially based on the biography “Blood Beneath The Skin,” telling the story of famed and influential designer who survived drug addiction, and rose to the heights of his field, before tragically committing suicide at the age of 40. Here’s the book synopsis:

When forty-year-old Alexander McQueen committed suicide in February 2010, a shocked world mourned the loss. McQueen had risen from humble beginnings as the son of an East London taxi driver to scale the heights of fame, fortune, and glamour. He designed clothes for the world’s most beautiful women and royalty, most famously the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore a McQueen dress on her wedding day. He created a multimillion-dollar luxury brand that became a favorite with celebrities including Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.

But behind the confident facade and bad-boy image, lay a sensitive soul who struggled to survive in the ruthless world of fashion. As the pressures of work intensified, McQueen became increasingly dependent on the drugs that contributed to his tragic end. Meanwhile, in his private life, his failure to find lasting love in a string of boyfriends only added to his despair. And then there were the dark secrets that haunted his sleep…

A modern-day fairy tale infused with the darkness of a Greek tragedy, Alexander McQueen tells the complete sensational story, and includes never-before-seen photos. Those closest to the designer—his family, friends, and lovers—have spoken for the first time about the man they knew, a fragmented individual, a lost boy who battled to gain entry into a world that ultimately destroyed him.

No word yet on when production might begin, but it could be a while yet. When we spoke to Haigh last month, he told us he was aiming to shoot his next picture, “Lean On Pete,” in the summer. Haigh has also recently wrapped final special episode of HBO‘s “Looking.” He revealed the news on KCRW‘s “The Business” earlier this month — you can listen to that chat below.