Tom Holland Will Reportedly Star in a Movie About IMSA's Drug-Smuggling Brothers

Amazon has reportedly purchased the rights to American Speed, an upcoming film starring Austin Butler (best known for his role in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis) and Tom Holland (best known as Marvel's most recent Spider-Man), Deadline reports. The film is said to be based on the lives of the Whittington brothers, star racing drivers in the 1980s sports car and open-wheel racing scene who were later tied to a drug smuggling ring that allegedly funded their careers.

In racing, Bill and Don Whittington are best known for their overall win at the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans. To the outside world, that fame is overshadowed by their connections to drug smuggling. Both pled guilty to crimes related to the act in the mid-1980s, bringing an end to impressive careers allegedly funded in no small part by their less-than-legal day jobs. Dale Whittington, a third brother who also raced in the 1980s, was not charged for any involvement in the ring.

Butler and Holland's roles have not been announced, but they may be playing the brothers as leads in the film. Producers include Oppenheimer producer Charles Roven and RD Whittington, a son of third Dale. A director has not been named.

While American Speed is said to focus on the Whittingtons, they represented just one of a series of cases related to drug smuggling and IMSA racing in the 1980s. Randy Lanier, who won the 1984 IMSA GTP championship driving for a team he co-owned with the Whittingtons, was imprisoned for 26 years. John Paul Jr., a winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, was sentenced to five years in prison on racketeering charges. John Paul Sr., father of the younger Paul and a 24 Hours of Daytona winner himself, is currently missing after vanishing while being sought for questioning in the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend in 2003.

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