Morgan Freeman will play Colin Powell in upcoming biopic

After his Oscar-nominated performance as South African President Nelson Mandela in Invictus, Morgan Freeman is set to play former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in his upcoming biopic, reports Hollywood Reporter.

Titled Powell, the film will focus on his tenure as the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position.

The film will also touch on what Powell describes as a low point in his career: Powell’s 2003 speech to the United Nations to seek support for Bush’s plan to forcibly remove Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, based on intelligence — which was later discredited — that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction.

It's known that Powell was initially opposed to the U.S. invasion of Iraq but later relented into pushing the American war agenda. Powell himself has stated in recent years that he regretted his change in stance.

Django Unchained producer Reginald Hudlin is directing the film, which has been written by Ed Whitworth, which was on the 2011 Black List.