Geoffrey Rush to play Peter Sellers in new film

Geoffrey Rush is to play Peter Sellers in a new made-for-TV biopic.

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is being made by American TV channel HBO.

The film is based on Roger Lewis' book of the same name. It will be directed by Stephen Hopkins who has been working on episodes of 24.

"Stephen Hopkins is a great directing talent, and we always thought that Geoffrey Rush was the perfect fit to play Peter Sellers," HBO Films president Colin Callender told www.hollywoodreporter.com.

"We are thrilled that they have both signed on for this groundbreaking movie."

Filming is expected to begin next year in London.