Jerry Bruckheimer: uberproducerTM, has picked up the screen rights (with no small help from Disney) to Jihadists In Paradise. No, it's not a new cra-ha-hazy slant on the frat comedy - au contaire, it's deadly serious stuff.
The screenplay will be written by the author of the article the idea is taken from, Mark Bowden, who some will remember as having written the book Black Hawk Down, from which Ridley Scott & Bruckheimer's film was adapted (by Ken Nolan).
Variety reports that this time Bowden's subject is the Islamic terrorist faction Abu Sayyaf, who operate in The Philippines. The screenplay will focus on a particular attack by the terrorist group, wherein they broke into a diving resort, taking 20 hostages. Three of the hostages were Americans, and one of those was beheaded. The other two – and for the moment we'll assume that they will form the centre of the tale – were dragged across dense jungle with the group in hiding for the next 18 months.
Bowden, who has written for The Philadelphia Enquirer, Rolling Stone and Sports Illustrated, has found the offers pouring in since working with Ridders, and he's been taking people up on quite a few. Producer Scott Rudin is having the made-for-TV Guests Of The Ayatollah developed from the journalist's material, while Joe Carnahan is the same on Killing Pablo for the big screen. Jihadists In Paradise though, is only the second screenplay Bowden has written himself. The other is reportedly about the capture and extradition of terror suspects without trial, which is known as 'extraordinary rendition'. There's no title for this project yet.
Jihadists doesn't have a shooting date or a cast yet (give 'em a chance – they haven't started the screenplay either). We'll keep you updated.