Ron Howard is back on his based-on-a-true-story beat. And this time he’s bringing Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway along.
Howard will direct “Alone at Dawn” with Driver and Hathaway for Amazon MGM Studios. It will receive a theatrical release.
Based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz and adapted by Michael Russell Gunn, “Alone at Dawn” is inspired by the true story of Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman, who “fought to the death to save his fellow soldiers, [as] an intelligence officer strives to prove his valor — leading an investigation that would ultimately secure him the Medal of Honor,” according to the official synopsis. Driver will play Chapman.
“Alone at Dawn” falls under Amazon MGM’s recently renewed first-look film deal with Howard and Brian Grazer’s production company Imagine Entertainment. Imagine will be joined by producers The Hideaway Entertainment and Thruline Entertainment, in addition to Kristy Grisham, William Connor and Patrick Newall. Gunn will executive produce.
Thruline Entertainment brought the manuscript of the original book to The Hideaway Entertainment, who optioned it in a competitive situation. The Hideaway Entertainment then hired Gunn to adapt the script and brought the project to Imagine Entertainment where it was set up at Amazon MGM. Schilling will serve as a military consultant on the movie and, like Chapman, was also a Combat Control Technician. Longfritz is the sister of John Chapman.
Gunn wrote the script, with later revisions by Erin Cressida Wilson and Amy Herzog.
Driver will soon be seen in Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother,” which won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. It will be released by Mubi soon. Hathaway is currently filming “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” which will open next year. Driver also has James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” coming up; Hathaway starred in Gray’s last film “Armageddon Time.” She will also soon be seen in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which will be released in theaters next summer.
