Kevin Spacey plans film of real-life sea captain's Somali ordeal
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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PDF The second true story of bravery battling pirates is announced in as many months, after Kevin Spacey buys the rights to Richard Phillips's story
A US sea captain whose dramatic rescue from pirates made headlines across the globe earlier this year is to be the subject of a new Hollywood film.
Richard Phillips, a 53-year-old father of two who secured the safety of his cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama, by offering himself as a hostage to Somali pirates, has sold his story to Columbia Pictures.
Phillips was held for five days off the coast of Somalia last month before US navy snipers shot dead three of the four men who had imprisoned him on a lifeboat, an action authorised by president Obama. The fourth pirate surrendered and is in custody.
The film is being co-produced by Kevin Spacey, who would appear to be an obvious candidate to play Phillips, although no casting details have yet emerged. Columbia has optioned the film rights to the captain's forthcoming memoir.
"We were drawn to this remarkable story of heroism and courage as events were unfolding off the coast of Africa," said Columbia co-president Doug Belgard.
The film based on Phillips' story will not be the only movie to be centred on pirate activities off Somalia's 2,000-mile coastline, which has become the most dangerous strip of sea in the world, with weekly attacks on European ships.
Earlier this month it was announced that Samuel L Jackson had secured the life rights to the story of Andrew Mwangura, who heads the Seafarer's Assistance Programme (SAP), a non-profit piracy monitoring group that works to release imperiled crews and vessels off the coast of Africa. Jackson is said to be interested in playing Mwangura in a forthcoming film.
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Kevin Spacey plans film of real-life sea captain's Somali ordeal
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posted by tgazw @ 8:23 PM,
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