The Oscar-winning writer of The King's Speech is to prepare a screen version of the true story of prisoners of war who staged their own version of the Olympic Games in 1940, according to Variety.

David Seidler collected the statuette for best original screenplay in LA last month at the age of 73. He came up with the idea for the new project, entitled Games of 1940, with his writing partner Luca Manzi after seeing an exhibit at a Warsaw sports museum several years ago.

Seidler who waited decades for his George VI film to come to fruition, took inspiration from the Olympic-style competition staged by the inmates of a Nazi prison camp following the cancellation of the 1940 Games proper.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros wants Seidler to rewrite family drama The Judge, the story of a city lawyer who rebuilds a relationship with his family when he learns that his father is suspected of murder, Variety says. The film is to be produced by Robert Downey Jr and his wife, Susan Downey.