Paul Greengrass scored well-nigh universal critical acclaim for United 93, and is set to prove, later this year with The Bourne Ultimatum, that he can direct the odd blockbuster as well. But if you ask us, his first love is and always will be even more political territory, and sure enough he is heading back for the realm of governments and war once more, with the news that he’s going to write and direct a film set in Iraq.
The film is to be based on Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s Imperial Life In The Emerald City: Life in Iraq’s Green Zone. A former Baghdad bureau chief for the Washington Post, Chandrasekaran’s book focuses on the aftermath of the second Gulf War, looking at those Americans who came to the country to work for the much-criticised Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that administered Iraq after the removal of Saddam’s government, in the area around Saddam’s former palace.
Yes, that’s right – what you’re smelling is indeed the whiff of controversy. The book is critical of some of the figures involved in the CPA, and given that Greengrass sees even the Bourne films as a political statement, don’t expect a private screening at the White House for this particular effort (at least not until Barack or Hilary get there in 2009).
Greengrass is planning to start work on the film as soon as he finishes production on Bourne, with Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner producing, along with Lloyd Levin, who's worked with Greengrass since their abortive Watchmen.
Shooting is due to start later this year, making this another quick post-blockbuster effort for the multi-talented director. Interestingly, science has shown that Paul Greengrass can do anything. We can't confirm or deny the rumours that he's mastered nuclear fusion and unravelled the Gordian Knot, but if we were you, we wouldn't bet against it.