Last we knew, Ang Lee's next project will be a 3D boxing movie, but according to The Wrap the LIFE OF PI director is being considered by Film4 and The Ink Factory for an adaptation of the Ben Fountain book Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, and he might end up directing it before the boxing flick. Fountain's novel was adapted by SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and 127 HOURS screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, and it has been described as "The Catch-22 of the Iraq War." Those that have read Beaufoy's script believe the film could be a major player during awards season.
Here's the book synopsis from Amazon:
A razor-sharp satire set in Texas during America's war in Iraq, it explores the gaping national disconnect between the war at home and the war abroad. Ben Fountain’s remarkable debut novel follows the surviving members of the heroic Bravo Squad through one exhausting stop in their media-intensive "Victory Tour" at Texas Stadium, football mecca of the Dallas Cowboys, their fans, promoters, and cheerleaders.
As to Lee's boxing movie, sources say it is "on hold for the moment for budgetary reasons," and there's a chance he'll direct a smaller movie like BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK first. Sources also say if Ang Lee decides to pass on the project, Film4 and The Ink Factory will continue to look for a first-rate director like Lee for their film.
I haven't read Ben Fountain's book, but it sounds fantastic. Do you think Ang Lee is a good fit for BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK, or would you like to see someone else behind the camera for the adaptation?