Penn, Damon to team up on Milk bio-pic

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- A U.S. film with Sean Penn playing openly gay politician Harvey Milk and Matt Damon as the man who kills him could begin filming as early as December.

Damon’s "Good Will Hunting" director, Gus Van Sant, and the producers of the as-yet-unnamed Milk bio-picture are in talks with a studio specialty division to get the project off the ground, The Hollywood Reporter said Monday.

If the deal is closed soon, shooting on the movie could begin in San Francisco before the end of this year.

Damon's participation is contingent on the film's start date, since he already has several film projects lined up.

"Superman Returns" and "Valkyrie" filmmaker Bryan Singer also is working on his own Milk bio-picture.