While it looked like Lionsgate might be pulling ahead in the rush to make a film about the April 2013 bomb attack on the Boston Marathon with news of Jake Gyllenhaal mulling the lead, CBS Films is countering by closing in on a deal for Peter Berg to direct **Patriots’ Day.
According to Variety, he’s in final negotiations to make the film, which would be another real-life tale after Lone Survivor and the upcoming Deepwater Horizon. And, assuming the actor/producer actually makes a deal himself, it would also mark Berg’s third film in a row with Mark Wahlberg, who has been trying to help get the movie made for a while, but might have to duck out of a lead role if scheduling becomes an issue.
**Patriots’ Day **is based on the account of Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis, with the producers securing his life rights and setting Bridge Of Spies writer Matt Charman to work on the script.
Stronger has David Gordon Green directing and there is also a third project bubbling away at Fox, seemingly lagging behind the other two. As mentioned, Berg is at work on Deepwater Horizon, about the explosion aboard the titular rig in April 2010. He’s also gearing up to make Mile 22 early next year, so Patriots’ Day would likely have to wait until after that.