Anti-Iraqi war film for Greengrass and Working Title
by Annika Pham
After their successful collaboration on United 93 [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Paul Greengrass and leading UK production outfit Working Title are teaming up again on another controversial project dealing with the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The new project is based on the best-selling novel Imperial Life In the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, who was the Washington Post's bureau chief in Baghdad at the time. The account of life in Baghdad's Green Zone, the headquarters of the US occupation forces in Iraq, is drawn from Chandrasekaran’s own experiences.
As with United 93 [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the film will be produced by Lloyd Levin alongside Working Title’s co-managing directors Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner for Universal Pictures, who will distribute it worldwide.
Greengrass, who began showing his talent for fact-based dramas through Granada TV’s documentary series World in Action, already addressed the subject of the dramatic consequences of one country’s army and government imposing their forces and culture onto another in Bloody Sunday [+see also:
trailer
film profile], winner of a Golden Bear in Berlin 2002.
United 93 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] was another daring project, among the first to address the events of 9/11. Made for under $20m, the film has become a worldwide box office success (over $75.6m) and is nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Director and Editing).
Upon hearing about his Oscar nominations, Greengrass said: “The film has demonstrated its legitimacy but we never expected anything like this. It’s good that…there’s space for movies that engage with what’s going on”.
Before beginning his anti-Iraqi war film, Greengrass will finish the post-production of The Bourne Ultimatum for Universal Pictures. The US studio has recently renewed its contract with Working Title for another seven years. Among the company’s upcoming films on UK screens are the follow-up to Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz (release date February 16), and Mr. Bean's Holiday [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (March 30).
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