Middle East thriller is a coup for WB
Callaham penning script, studio's Silverman to shepherd pic
Penning the script is Dave Callaham, who just scripted "Doom," based on the videogame.
Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road and Guymon Casady at Management 360 will produce through the first-look deals each of those companies has at WB.
Warner Bros. is now prepping a trio of pics that focus on turmoil and terrorism in the Middle East.
WB and Plan B partners Brad Grey, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston made a seven-figure deal for movie rights to the Mariane Pearl memoir "A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl," and the studio has set Matt Damon and George Clooney to star in the Stephen Gaghan-directed "Syriana," a drama revolving around the CIA, oil and terrorism.
Callaham said he has long been fascinated by privatized soldiers and their elevated role in Middle Eastern hotspots.
"The way that warfare has changed and become more political, fewer ground troops are being used and there is a heavy reliance on privately held military operations," Callaham said.
Iwanyk said that aside from its topical nature, Callaham's project was interesting because the negative stereotype afforded mercenaries is turned on its ear as the force questions its mission.
WB exec Greg Silverman will shepherd the pic.
