Brad Pitt is leading the race to play the role of a British explorer whose adventures are said to have inspired the character of Indiana Jones.

The 44-year-old is the first choice to play Percy Fawcett, the adventurer who disappeared in the Amazon jungle in 1925 during an expedition to find a lost city.

Pitt is reported to have expressed interest in producing and starring in the Lost City of Z, which tells the story of Fawcett’s ill-fated mission 83 years ago. Generations of explorers have since attempted to retrace Fawcett’s route in an attempt to solve the mystery of his disappearance.

Tags: Brad Pitt