According to Variety, Clint Eastwood has announced the title and subject of his next movie. The film is called “The 15:17 to Paris.” The film will depict an incident on board a train in France when three Americans thwarted an ISIS terrorist massacre by jumping and subduing a jihadi who attempted to shoot passengers with a machine gun.
Eastwood’s last few films have depicted real life stories of heroism by ordinary people. “American Sniper,” told the story of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who had more than 150 confirmed kills while serving in Iraq, ironically dying in the United States at the hands of a former Marine suffering from PTSD.
“Sully” was about Chesley Sullenberger, an airline pilot who saved the passengers and crew of his aircraft by landing it on the Hudson River. Tom Hanks played the title character.
“The 15:17 to Paris” will tell the story of three friends, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone and Alex Skarlatos, who were traveling in Europe to celebrate Skarlatos’ return from service in Afghanistan. While on board a train headed for Paris, they noticed a man readying an AK-47 assault rifle with the intent of killing everyone he could on the train. Not hesitating, the three attacked the man even they were unarmed, disarming and subduing him. They are credited with saving hundreds of lives and became heroes on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Americans were awarded the French Legion of Honor for their courage.
The film’s screenplay, based on the book, “The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of a Terrorist, a Train and Three American Heroes” with the screenplay currently being written by Dorothy Blyskal. Filming is scheduled to begin later in 2017. No word has been revealed as of this writing as to who will be playing the principles.
Eastwood will produce the film along with Tim Moore, Kristina Rivera, and Jessica Meier.
Eastwood, who will turn 87 this May, started as an actor playing tough guy roles in westerns and war pictures. He is famous for such films as “Where Eagles Dare,” “Dirty Harry,” and “The Unforgiven.” His first directorial project was 1971’s “Play Misty for Me” about a radio DJ menaced by a psychotic fan.
Other films in Eastwood’s eclectic body of work include “The Outlaw Josie Wales,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and “Space Cowboys.” Eastwood has directed and appeared in almost every kind of film there is, from comedies to experimental character studies, to action adventures. Many of his directed films also showcase him as an actor, the last one being 2012’s “Trouble with the Curve.”
