It turns out rumors from earlier this week are true. Salt director Phillip Noyce will next direct the thriller Hunter Killer, from a script by Jamie Moss (X-Men: First Class, Escape from New York), John Kolvenbach (Coney Island) and Arne Schmidt (Chain Reaction).
The film follows “an untested submarine captain who must work with a Navy SEAL team to rescue the Russian president, who has been taken prisoner during a military coup, in an effort to stop a rogue Russian General from igniting World War III.” While I really disliked Salt, mostly due to the script, Noyce still has some action directing chops left. This premise has an old school vibe that could reflect his earlier work like Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger.
Production begins late this year and you can read the full press release below.
(Beverly Hills, CA) February 17, 2011 – Relativity Media has closed a deal with Phillip Noyce (Salt, The Bone Collector) to direct their upcoming Hunter Killer, based on the novel Firing Point by George Wallace (Final Bearing) Cdr. USN Ret. and Don Keith (Final Bearing). Production is targeted to start in late 2011.
Noyce, known for international action-thrillers such as Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, will helm the film based on the script penned by Jamie Moss (X-Men: First Class, Escape from New York), John Kolvenbach (Coney Island) and Arne Schmidt (Chain Reaction).
Relativity’s Hunter Killer follows an untested submarine captain who must work with a Navy SEAL team to rescue the Russian president, who has been taken prisoner during a military coup, in an effort to stop a rogue Russian General from igniting World War III.
The film is being produced by Original Film’s Neal Moritz (Battle: Los Angeles) and Toby Jaffe (Prom Night), and Relativity’s Ryan Kavanaugh (Immortals). Relativity’s President of Worldwide Production Tucker Tooley (The Fighter) will serve as Executive Producer.
Relativity currently has Golden Globe®-winner and seven-time Oscar®-nominee The Fighter in theatres, via Paramount Pictures, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams as well as Golden Globe®-winner and eight-time Oscar®-nominee The Social Network via its partnership with Sony Pictures. Relativity’s 2011 slate also includes current release Season of the Witch starring Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman. The hilarious Take Me Home Tonight debuts on March 4th starring Topher Grace and Anna Faris. Following on March 18th, is the much-anticipated Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish and Oscar®-winner Robert De Niro. Relativity recently announced its acquisition of the Untitled David R. Ellis 3D Shark Thriller which will release in theatres on September 2nd. Finally on November 11th, 2011 is Immortals starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, with John Hurt and Mickey Rourke.
Noyce is a client of UTA and was represented by them in the deal.