Glen Powell To Star As Lou Gehrig In New Richard Linklater Film

· BC

Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: Glen Powell, lou gehrig, richard linklater

Glen Powell To Star As Lou Gehrig In New Richard Linklater Film

Glen Powell is set to star as New York Yankees icon Lou Gehrig in a new film from director Richard Linklater.

Published Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:02:10 -0500
by Jeremy Konrad
|
Comments

Article Summary

  • Glen Powell is set to star as Yankees legend Lou Gehrig in a new Richard Linklater film for Universal.
  • Simon Rich wrote the script, Lorne Michaels will produce, and production timing has not yet been announced.
  • The film may also feature Babe Dahlgren, the first baseman who replaced Gehrig after his ALS diagnosis.
  • Glen Powell takes on Gehrig’s rise, iconic career, and famed retirement speech in a likely awards-season role.

Glen Powell will play New York Yankees icon Lou Gehrig in a new film from director Richard Linklater. Universal is releasing the film, which Simon Rich will write, according to Deadline. Lorne Michaels is on board to produce. No word on how much of his life the film will cover, but the rumor is that the co-lead of the film will be playing first baseman Babe Dahlgren, who had the tall task of replacing Gehrig after he was forced to retire when he was diagnosed with ALS, a disease which many refer to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease". No timetable is known for when the film may enter production.

London, United Kingdom – November 5, 2025: Glen Powell attends "The Running Man" UK Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. Editorial credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.com

Glen Powell Goes For His Oscar

Gehrig was part of the fabled Murderer's Row in the late 1920s, winning six World Championships. He played First Base for the Yankees all 13 of his Major League seasons, from 1926 to 1939. His list of accomplishments on the field:

  • 7-time All-Star
  • 2-time MVP
  • Triple Crown Winner ((1934)
  • AL Batting Title in 1934
  • 3-time AL Home Run leader (1931, 1934, and 1936)
  • AL RBI leader (1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934)
  • Hit 4 Home Runs in a single game (June 3, 1942)
  • Played in 2,130 games in a row, a record that stood until 1995 when Cal Ripken Jr. broke it.
  • Career Totals: 2, 721 hits, 493 home runs, 1,995 RBI, and a batting average of .340

I wrote about Gehrig a few years back, and he truly was an American Treasure. I think Glen Powell can pull this off, and you know that this is going to be his shot at gracing the Oscars stage. All eyes will be on him delivering his retirement speech, that famous July 4th speech. The whole film will build to that, and if they don't get that right, then why even try? But I think he can do it.

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!