Now that Ang Lee has found his main man in newcomer Joe Alwyn, he’s locking in the rest of the cast for his latest, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. Steve Martin is set to co-star alongside Garrett Hedlund.
Adapted by Slumdog Millionaire writer Simon Beaufoy from Ben Fountain's book, the story follows the titular 19-year-old soldier (Alwyn), who along with his squad has survived a tough battle in Iraq that made headlines and turned the troops into instant celebrities.
Shipped home for a promotional tour by the army, they’re scheduled to return to combat after the final engagement of the trip, a halftime show of a Thanksgiving Day American football game in Texas. As the game progresses, we see flashbacks of what Billy and his platoon endured in the heat of battle.
Deadline’s report on the casting makes no mention of what role Martin or Hedlund will play, though they’re apparently key parts of the story. Lee aims to start shooting this one in April.
Martin, last seen in bird spotting comedy drama The Big Year, is back on the big screen this month – well, his voice is, at least – in DreamWorks Animation’s Home, out March 20. Hedlund will be seen in Pan (July 17) and William Monahan’s Mojave, which has yet to find a release berth.