Lee will direct an adaptation of Ben Fountain’s “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk."
The material takes Lee back to wartime drama, which he explored in 2007’s “Lust, Caution,” set in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong and Shanghai during World War II. But "Billy Lynn" is a far different story. And it’s hardly a conventional war picture.
Written by “Slumdog Millionaire” scribe Simon Beaufoy, “Lynn” will tell of its title character, a 19-year-old who leads a group of troops on a mission in Iraq. The squad, known as the Bravos, survives the sortie, and when a news crew captures it on film, its principals become heroes.
The story is set at a Thanksgiving Day football game in Texas, where Lynn and his squad are being celebrated (a release doesn’t say it’s the annual Cowboys contest, as it is in the book; we’ll see if the production makes a deal with the NFL). The battle scenes are told in flashbacks.
Narrated by its main character, “Lynn’s” story is hardly one of unmitigated heroism. As the group is feted at the game — throwing back drinks, awaiting a Destiny’s Child concert — they both revel in and wonder deeply about the hoopla, as they prepare to be shipped back to Iraq. The release described the planned film as “funny and heartbreaking.”
Ang Lee's Ali/Frazier Biopic may not happen.
Budget reasons and delays are why Lee might choose to work on a smaller project instead of the sports drama. Ironically, Lee is partially to blame for the delay because he only wanted to make the 3D boxing film when the technology was just right.
Producer James Schamus told Screen Daily that Lee is "pushing the technology toward the absolute future of cinema, and pushing it even further than what you saw in Life Of Pi." He then explained that Lee wants to put the audience "in the ring with these guys," while also incorporating 3D technology that is able to enhance "horizontal fast motion [and] the close-ups"
source: latimes, cinemablend
