Zero Dark Thirty helmer Kathryn Bigelow is preparing to move ahead on her next film, a prisoner of war drama revolving around the true-life story of Bowe Bergdahl.
News comes via Deadline, who reports that the project has taken top priority on the director’s busy schedule, unofficially pushing her work on The True American and South American drug film, Triple Frontier. Producer Megan Ellison stated that studios are already circling the as-yet-untitled Bergdahl drama, which will act as the third collaboration between Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal.
Still in its embryonic state, it’s expected that the picture will center on the Bergdahl’s gruelling story as an American soldier captured by the Taliban and held hostage for a full five years. During this excruciating period, the prisoner of war was subjected to torture and upon his release as part of a high-profile and indeed controversial exchange, Bergdahl began to question the US’ presence in Afghanistan altogether.
It’s certainly a fascinating concept, and one that won’t necessarily toe the line of patriotism and simple conflicts found in other films of its ilk. Moreover, Bigelow has certainly shown her confidence in the genre, given that both The Hurt Locker and 2012’s award-winning Zero Dark Thirty were handled with panache. Couple this with the fact that studios are now clamouring to secure war projects off the back of American Sniper‘s groundbreaking success and it’s easy to see why the Bergdahl rose to the top of the pack for the esteemed director.
We’ll keep you posted on Kathryn Bigelow‘s Bowe Bergdahl drama as more information becomes available. For now, you can let us know your early impressions of the project down below.
