Given the Oscar-winning success they had with **The Hurt Locker **and, to a lesser extent, Zero Dark Thirty, it’s not too shocking that director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal are planning a new film set in a real-life military situation. They’re working on something about recently released American prisoner of war Bowe Bergdahl – and they may not be the only ones.
The case of Army sergeant Bergdahl has captured the imagination in the US of late. Bergdahl, who had apparently become disenchanted with the war in Afghanistan, left his base five years ago and was captured by the Taliban. With his health failing, he was recently released in a deal that involved freedom for five Taliban prisoners, an act that has caused uproar in the States from many of the same politicians who previously clamoured for Bergdahl's release. The soldier is now recovering from his ordeal, while the Army yesterday announced that it is opening an investigation into his disappearance.
According to Deadline, Boal and Bigelow have been tracking this one for a while, figuring out how they might turn it into a movie. Chances are they’re waiting to see if there are any more twists to avoid the on-the-fly changes they had to make to **Zero Dark Thirty **after the death of Osama Bin Laden.
But, as mentioned above, they’re not the only people interested in what is a sharply topical story. Fox Searchlight has bought Rolling Stone 2012 article America’s Last Prisoner Of War, penned by late investigative reporter Michael Hastings, which chronicles Bergdahl's life up to his capture and initial attempts to free him. The company apparently has** Little Children** director Todd Field involved, but no further details have emerged yet. This could develop into a cinematic arms race, but we’ll have to wait and see what form either movie takes.