Martian star Matt Damon is close to lock a deal with Universal Picture for the film The King of Oil. If the talks are finalised, the 47-year-old actor will play the role of fugitive billionaire commodities trader Marc Rich in the film.

Based on Daniel Ammann's book The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich, the film will be produced by A Quiet Place star John Krasinski via his banner Sunday Night Productions. Rich was a powerful oil and commodities trader who founded Glencore before being indicted in 1983 on 65 criminal counts, including tax evasion. He received a controversial pardon from US President Bill Clinton on his last day in office and died in 2013 at age 78 after living abroad for many years.