Jack O'Connell is to play late fashion designer Alexander McQueen in a new movie of his life.

Jack O'Connell

Jack O'Connell

The 26-year-old British actor - whose credits include 'Money Monster' and 'Unbroken' - is to take on the role of the catwalk visionary in a biopic about McQueen based on Andrew Wilson's biography 'Blood Beneath The Skin'.

Pathé is bringing the project to the big screen with '45 Years' filmmaker Andrew Haigh on board to direct from a script by Chris Urch.

The story of McQueen is one of incredible success and tragedy.

McQueen was the working class son of a taxi driver from east London who after earning an apprenticeship at Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard rose through the fashion world to become head designer at Givenchy.

He then founded his own label in 2004 and went on to receive a CBE from the Queen for his contribution to fashion.

However, following the death of his mother Joyce in 2010 he fell into a deep depression and committed suicide on February 11 at the age of 40 the day before her funeral and nine days after she had died from cancer at the age of 75.

Filming on the biopic is due to begin next spring with the movie scheduled for a late 2017 release.