Björn Borg, Jonas Åkerlund Fox Photos, Bryan Derballa / Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment Swedish tennis sensation Björn Borg is getting the biopic treatment. Borg's best-selling memoir "Hjärtslag" (Heartbeat) has been picked up for adaptation by indie giant Banijay Entertainment, with Nordic subsidiary Jarowskij/Yellow Bird and Mastiff Sweden handling the production. Jonas Akerlund, the Swedish director of Polar, Lord of Chaos, and Netflix series Clark, as well as countless music videos for the likes of Madonna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, is attached to direct. The screen adaptation will trace Borg's meteoric rise to tennis superstardom, capped by his unprecedented five consecutive Wimbledon men's singles titles, and his shocking decision to retire at the top of his game, at just 26 years old. The story will go beyond the court, looking at Borg's private life, from his childhood to his years of financial struggle, to his post-tennis reinvention. Related Stories Movies Björn Andrésen, Teen Actor in 1971's 'Death in Venice,' Dies at 70 Movies TIFFCOM: Korean Action-Comedy 'Boss' Sells Across Asia "Everyone knows Björn Borg for his legendary moments on the court, for his fierce, unparalleled power as an athlete and icon," said Akerlund in a statement. "With his book, we finally dipped a toe into his enigmatic mind. But with this project, we're cannonballing into the deep end." "I've spent my entire life in matches - both on and off the court," added Borg. "Jonas wants to explore both sides, and I feel the time is right for that. He has the eye, the energy and the courage to tell my story in his own way." At his tennis peak, Borg was famous for his on-court rivalry with U.S. tennis star John McEnroe, a rivarly at the core of the 2017 feature Borg v. McEnroe from Danish director Janus Metz. Jarowskij/Yellow Bird is a high-end drama series producer best known internationally for its Millennium crime trilogy series, the original version of the The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo franchise. The group is currently working on a reinterpretation of the iconic Swedish detective series Wallander. Mastiff Sweden is best-known for reality TV formats, including Swedish adaptations of Survivor and Love Is Blind, as well as serving as a local production partner on multiple Netflix adaptations. The company recently launched a new culinary showdown format, 100 Knives, co-developed with Banijay Americas label Bunim/Murray Productions. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Vicky McClure 'Trigger Point' Writer and Director Talk Making the ITV Hit More Cinematic and Why It's Not All About Explosions Last Week Tonight With John Oliver John Oliver on Trump's White House Demolition: "A Metaphor That Is, If Anything, Too on the Nose" Yellowstone Taylor Sheridan Expected to Leave Paramount for NBCUniversal Live Feed 'It: Welcome to Derry' Creators Explain the Premiere's Shocking Ending The Daily Show Jon Stewart Says He's "Working on Staying" on as 'Daily Show' Host Vicky McClure Jason Flemyng Wants Audiences to Feel Compassion for His "Voiceless" Baddie in Brit Hit 'Trigger Point' Vicky McClure 'Trigger Point' Writer and Director Talk Making the ITV Hit More Cinematic and Why It's Not All About Explosions Last Week Tonight With John Oliver John Oliver on Trump's White House Demolition: "A Metaphor That Is, If Anything, Too on the Nose" Yellowstone Taylor Sheridan Expected to Leave Paramount for NBCUniversal Live Feed 'It: Welcome to Derry' Creators Explain the Premiere's Shocking Ending The Daily Show Jon Stewart Says He's "Working on Staying" on as 'Daily Show' Host Vicky McClure Jason Flemyng Wants Audiences to Feel Compassion for His "Voiceless" Baddie in Brit Hit 'Trigger Point'