Tom Hanks to get captured by pirates in A Captain’s Duty

Sony Pictures has Tom Hanks attached to play the lead in A CAPTAIN’S DUTY.

Will he be a shrimpin’ boat Captain? No, but he’s playing Captain Richard Phillips. What is this man’s story and what sort of ship does he helm? The true story follows, “the leader of the cargo ship Maersk Alabama who gave himself up as a hostage to Somali pirates to keep his crew from having to leave the ship with them. After three days alone with the armed pirates in a small lifeboat, Phillips was saved by Navy SEALs who staged a raid that left three captors dead and another in custody. Shortly after Phillips got a hero’s homecoming and signed with CAA to make a book deal, Sony Pictures optioned A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, Phillips’ memoir of the harrowing ordeal.”

Billy Ray (SHATTERED GLASS, THE HUNGER GAMES) recently turned in a draft of the script adapted from the book which was published last year. The producing team for THE SOCIAL NETWORK consisting of Scott Rudin, Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and Kevin Spacey are on board for the film as well.