Peter Berg Receives Green Light For "Lone Survivor"

The Hancock director's post-Bin Laden Afghan war drama has been approved. U-S-A! U-S-A!

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As part of a two-picture pact between director Peter Berg and Universal Pictures, the actor-turned-director will follow up Battleship (set for 2012 release) with the Afhgan war drama Lone Survivor, according to Deadline.

The film will be based on Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell's life story, showing how he and his unit survived a Taliban ambush in 2005. Berg is familiar with the Middle East terrain, having previously directed the Jamie Foxx-led flick The Kingdom. As the story goes, Berg was inspired to make Lone Survivor after shacking up with a Seal team from Iraq, an experience that gave the director a chance to witness how they exercised their duties.

Reportedly, Berg wanted to begin filming immediately after his experience, but he was held back for two years as Hollywood execs remained shook over underperforming Iraq war-pegged movies. Since Osama Bin Laden's death, however, Lone Survivor has picked up steam. Now, Berg is locked into a January start date.

Based on Berg's filmography, we're anticipating an intense attachment to the characters, like he was able to construct in his crime thriller Collateral,starring Tom Cruise (his character was psychologically disturbed, which was a stretch for Cruise at the time) and his gridiron drama Friday Night Lights. It's safe to say that there will be more to Lone Survivor than explosions and popular Navy jargon. Hurrah.

[Via Deadline]

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