According to Variety, Berg — who was also the creator of the critically acclaimed television series Friday Night Lights and the director of the 2013 military thriller Lone Survivor — is in final negotiations to helm Patriots’ Day, an account of the bombing and subsequent manhunt that began on April 15, 2013, and ended with the April 19 capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in Watertown, Massachusetts. The CBS Films project will focus on the perspective of Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis, with actor Mark Wahlberg reportedly circling the lead role.
If the report regarding Berg and Wahlberg’s involvement are confirmed, Patriots’ Day will be a reunion for the two filmmakers, as Wahlberg starred in the critically acclaimed Lone Survivor.
Patriots’ Day is one of three films about the Boston Marathon bombing currently in the works. Pineapple Express director David Gordon Green was recently confirmed as the director of Lionsgate Films’ upcoming movie Stronger, based on the memoir penned by bombing survivor Jeff Bauman, who lost both of his legs in the attack.
A third movie, Boston Strong, is in development at 20th Century Fox. Several months ago, that project was rumored to be targeting Daniel Espinoza (Safe House) as director, with Casey Affleck expected to star in it.
Wahlberg’s involvement in Patriots’ Day is reportedly less certain than that of Berg, but the actor is still expected to serve as a producer on the film if his schedule doesn’t allow him to star in it. The script for Patriots’ Day is being penned by Bridge of Spies screenwriter Matt Charman. There’s currently no release date set for Patriots’ Day, though it’s expected to be fast-tracked through production once a director and star are in confirmed.
