Daniel Radcliffe cast as Sebastian Coe in Olympic film

Daniel Radcliffe and Sebastian Coe as he was in 1984

Daniel Radcliffe is to play Sebastian Coe in a film drama about his rivalry with fellow Olympian Steve Ovett.

The project, entitled Gold, will see the Harry Potter star reunite with director James Watkins, with whom he worked on 2012's The Woman in Black.

Written by Oscar winner Simon Beaufoy and Will Davies, the film tells of the runners' famous rivalry in the run-up to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

It is not yet known who will play Ovett in the production.

Coe, now Lord Coe, famously ran against Ovett in Moscow, the former clinching victory in the 1,500m and Ovett picking up gold in the 800m.

Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, told the BBC earlier this year the film was "a brilliant story" with a "perfect end".

"I hadn't realised how good it was until you dig into their past," he said. "They were fantastically different athletes and different people.

"And they rarely met... apart from on the track - but not very often, even on the track."

BBC Films and the British Film Institute have developed the project - based on Pat Butcher's book, The Perfect Distance - along with AL Films.

"Compelling, funny and moving, Gold is a gem of a story," said BBC Films' Christine Langan, who is also serving as executive producer.

Filming will begin in the UK and Russia in April next year.