Ronald Reagan biopic in the works

A movie about the 40th US president Ronald Reagan is in the works, says The Hollywood Reporter.

X-Men and Fantastic Four producer Ralph Winter has teamed up with Mark Joseph and screenwriter Jonas McCord on the $30 million-budgeted Reagan.

The film, based on Paul Kengor's biographies The Crusader and God And Ronald Reagan, will begin with the 1981 assassination attempt and flash backwards and forwards to tell the life story of the actor-turned-politician.

Joseph said of the project: "This is a great story. I'm just glad no-one else in Hollywood thinks so, or they'd have made this film by now."

The producer went on to blast the 2003 James Brolin-led miniseries The Reagans, which CBS relegated to its cable outlet Showtime after controversy erupted over its political bias.

"Only in Hollywood could you make an insulting, condescending movie about a much-loved historical figure, hire an actor who loathes the man, watch it flop and then somehow conclude that Americans don't want to see a movie about him," Joseph added.

"I watched Americans line up and wait for ten hours for the simple privilege of passing by his closed casket. They love this man."

Reagan is being targeted for a cinema release next year.