Michael Bay’s Benghazi film, 13 Hours, lands an early 2016 release

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Michael Bay will never be one of my favourite directors and I've never been particularly enthralled when a new Bay project is announced, but I do feel a slight sense of relief that Michael Bay won't immediately be jumping back into the TRANSFORMERS universe. The director's next film will be the political drama 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI, a  true story which recounts the attack on the U.S. Special Mission Compound and a nearby CIA Annex in Benghazi on the 11th anniversary of Sept. 11.

In addition to expanding the title from 13 HOURS, Paramount has announced a release date of January 15, 2016; worked well enough for AMERICAN SNIPER, perhaps they're hoping 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI will take off in a similar fashion. Chuck Hogan penned the script for the film based upon "13 Hours: The Inside Account Of What Really Happened In Benghazi" by Mitchell Zuckoff. 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI stars James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Toby Stephens, Pablo Schreiber, Max Martini, David Denman, Dominic Fumusa, and Freddie Stroma.

Bay is working with a smaller budget than he's become accustomed to; 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI said to be in the $30 to $40 million range, but I imagine that we'll get more of that Michael Bay style action which has already made Paramount billions with the TRANSFORMERS franchise.