Report: Christian Bale to portray Al Davis in John Madden biopic

The role of longtime Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis in the upcoming John Madden biopic has reportedly been filled.

Davis will be portrayed by Academy Award-winning actor Christian Bale, known for such movies as "The Dark Knight, "American Psycho," and "The Fighter," entertainment insider Jeff Sneider reports. Bale joins Nicolas Cage, who will play Madden in the David O. Russell-directed film.

"Together with the ferocious style, focus, and inspired individualism of Al Davis, owner of the underdog Oakland Raiders, the feature will be about the joy, humanity, and genius that was John Madden in a wildly inventive, cool world of the 1970s," Russell said in a statement released in August, according to Variety's Rebecca Rubin.

Madden, who died in 2021 at age 85, served as head coach of the Raiders for 10 seasons under Davis, leading the team to seven AFC titles and a Super Bowl championship in 1976. He went on to work as a color commentator and also lent his name and voice to the popular Madden NFL video game series.

Davis owned the Raiders from 1972 until he died in 2011 at 82, at which point his son Mark and late wife Carol assumed control of the team.