Stories have been circulating over the last few days that
Clint already has his next project lined up. The Hollywood Reporter and Variety
led with the story on the 10th October:
Clint Eastwood to Tackle True-Life Story of Kidnapped Aid
Worker Jessica Buchanan
The drama will be based on the memoir 'Impossible Odds,'
written by Buchanan, husband Erik Landemalm, and Anthony Flacco.
After tackling a true-life story with Sully, Clint Eastwood
is setting his sights on another: that of kidnapped American aid worker Jessica
Buchanan. Warner Bros, Eastwood's long time home studio, has optioned
Impossible Odds, the memoir written by Buchanan, her husband Erik Landemalm,
and Anthony Flacco. While it's a beat early in the development stages, Eastwood
is looking at it as his next project. Brian Helgeland, who worked with Eastwood
on the Oscar-winning 2003 film Mystic River, as well as 2002's Blood Work, is
writing the script. Buchanan was working in Somalia when, in October 2011, she
and a colleague found themselves caught by land pirates, sold out by their
escort and protector. For the next 93 days, she and her co-worker lived in the
desert while Buchanan’s husband, Landemalm, tried to work various agencies to
have his wife rescued. In the end, President Barack Obama approved the
engagement of SEAL Team 6, which parachuted into the area, killed all the
pirates and extracted the pair. The story had already been eyed for the big
screen in 2013 when the book was optioned by Clear Pictures Entertainment and
Silver Reel Partners, which also secured Buchanan and Landemalm’s life rights. Greg
Silverman and Julia Spiro will oversee the project for Warners.
Sully stars Tom Hanks as Chesley "Sully"
Sullenberger, the US Airlines pilot who became a hero after landing his
passenger plane on the Hudson River. The movie, which cost $60 million to make,
has soared to over $107 million domestically and follows Eastwood’s 2014 hit,
American Sniper, which starred Bradley Cooper in the telling of the heroic
true-life story of sniper Chris Kyle.
The one-two punch of those movies show that Eastwood, at 86
years old, is settling into a groove focusing on American-bred stories that
clearly resonate with domestic audiences.
Buchanan, Landemalm and Flacco are repped by Paradigm.
Clint
Eastwood Eyeing Film about Kidnapped American Aid Worker Jessica Buchanan –
Justin Kroll – Variety OCTOBER 10, 2016
In typical
Clint Eastwood fashion, the seemingly ageless auteur is already setting up his
next directing gig even as his latest pic “Sully” is playing in theaters.
Sources tell
Variety that Warner Bros. has optioned “Impossible Odds,” an autobiography by
Jessica Buchanan and Anthony Flacco. The American humanitarian aid worker was
kidnapped by Somali militants and later rescued by a Navy SEAL team in 2012.
Eastwood is considering the pic as his next project. Brian Helgeland is writing
the script. Greg Silverman and Julia Spiro are overseeing production. Flacco
and Sharlene Martin of Martin Literary Management are attached as Associate
Producers. The story tells the tale of Buchanan, who traveled to Somalia to
help children only to be kidnapped by militants and held for ransom for 93
days. Her captors were killed by SEALs in a dramatic rescue mission.
Eastwood has
become increasingly interested in films about ordinary people who are thrown
into extraordinary situations and rise to the challenge, such as box office hit
“American Sniper” and “Sully.” Since opening last month, Eastwood’s “Sully” has
become a hit, grossing $167 million worldwide including $113 million
domestically. The biopic has received rave reviews for both Eastwood’s
directing and Tom Hanks performance as Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the
pilot who landed a commuter jet in the Hudson River in 2009. Flacco and
and life rights are repped by Paradigm and Del Shaw.
No comments:
Post a Comment