Peter Berg’s Boston bombing picture Patriots’ Day has nabbed itself an Oscar winner today, according to The Hollywood Reporter, revealing that J.K. Simmons is set to star opposite Mark Wahlberg in the real-life drama.
He’ll join the early cast as Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese of the Watertown Police Department, one of the chief officers that pursued suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev soon after the heinous terrorist attack rocked the city during the 2013 Boston Marathon. Indeed, Sergeant Pugliese was one of the key players during the investigation in real life, and even confronted the pair days after the event in what proved to be a violent shootout.
Wahlberg, meanwhile, is the boots on the ground – a “composite Boston Police Department officer” who spearheads a manhunt for those suspected offenders. Patriots’ Day heralds a reunion between the actor and his Lone Survivor director Peter Berg, who shared a statement in light of Simmons’ addition to the cast.
“Beyond his considerable talents, J.K. Simmons is a person who respects the solemn trust that these real-life heroes are putting in our hands. This is an actor who will represent the role in the best way possible.”
Penned by Bridge Of Spies scribe Matt Charman alongside Berg, THR notes that Scott Stuber, Wahlberg, Hutch Parker, Dylan Clark, Stephen Levinson and Michael Radutzky are among the producers attached to the feature film.
CBS Films and Lionsgate are primed to get production underway for Patriots’ Day next month in Boston. J.K. Simmons, on the other hand, was recently a part of the ensemble for whimsical sequel Kung Fu Panda 3, while Disney’s Zootopia will complete the animated one-two punch on March 4.