Throughout the years, Hollywood has showcased symptoms of double vision, be it the by-now infamous case of Deep Impact and Armageddon, Antz and Pixar’s A Bugs Life on the animation front or, more recently, Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman. There are of course a number of variables that factor into these peculiar back-to-back releases; budget concerns, marketing tactics, and releasing a film during what is considered to be the most opportune window.
Fast forward to 2015 and we have another example of this phenomenon in the Boston marathon bombings, the tragedy that occurred back in 2013 that is set to inspire not one, but two feature films. First up, Boston Strong has already entered production, with star Casey Affleck boarding the project before parting ways with the movie. On the other hand, CBS Films has announced Patriot’s Day, and the studio is close to securing Boston native Mark Wahlberg for the leading role.
Per Hitfix, it appears as though the Ted and The Gambler star will step into the shoes of Ed Davis, a respected police commissioner who played a major role on that tragic day. Here’s a brief description of the character:
Commissioner Davis played an integral role in working with the FBI, Watertown Police Department, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and local first responders to track, identify and apprehend the suspected bombers. Their tactics included the use of sophisticated identity technology and giving the historic order to put the city of Boston under lockdown as they rushed to apprehend the suspects.
With both projects set to enter production before long, it will be a race between CBS Films and Fox to the finish line. Mind you, the latter company has already secured Daniel Espinosa to helm the true-life tale, but we fully expect Patriot’s Day to name a director of its own in the coming weeks.