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Francis Lawrence to Helm Prison Riot and Siege Movie

by Alex Billington
November 13, 2008

With at least the I Am Legend prequel and an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's Survivor in the works, director Francis Lawrence already has an exciting slate of projects lined up. Add to that list a currently untitled prison riot project, an action thriller written by first timer Ari Rubin to eventually be directed by Lawrence. The concept is based on the real life story of the riots and siege of the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary in 1987. Cuban and American prisoners seized control of the maximum security facility and took more than 100 federal prison staff members hostage. The situation was so extreme that the FBI's hostage rescue team couldn't handle the riots and the Delta Force was called in to retake the prison.

Warner Brothers has just picked up the rights to the packaged project after a bidding war. Michael De Luca (Zathura, Ghost Rider, 21, The Love Guru) will be producing. No start date is set, which means this probably won't come up for a few more years, but I really hope to see it eventually. The concept apparently seems to have been sold as Black Hawk Down like story set amongst a prison riot, or at least that's kind of the idea. I like what I've heard so far and I'm glad to see someone like Francis Lawrence on board. Lawrence has quickly proven he's an impressive director with only two feature films under his belt so far - Constantine and I Am Legend. I'll be interested to see how this project develops.

Filed under Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Bishopsring

Having produced some failed movies, this does not bode well already for this film. I love the idea of using Delta Force if it can be realistically added to the film without the cheese factor. If it really does resemble Black Hawk Down in action then terrific. Otherwise, there needs to be more information on how this will be played out.
http://google armando sanchez-garcia

Everything iam reading about this movie is shit. iam a cuban, i was there and you true is not true. i will like to talk to Mr. francis Lawrence, Mr.Ari Rubin to find out how they reserch there info. Feel free to contact me a surviver of the 1987 Atlanta Federal Prison Riot.
http://www.googles.com armando sanchez-garcia

Making a movie about Delta Force for an event where they were stop by us Cuban is really a joke, a bad joke... ! Believe it, i was there! American Prisoner did not seize nothing ... ! They did run out before it was over. Yeah, the situation was very extreme and the FBI's hostage rescue team couldn't handle the riot, the Delta Force did nothing too, just waited for us Cuban with our final worlds. The Delta Force never retake the prison ... We end the riot after our demand were taking in consideration. Mr. Francis Lawrence should be making a movie about the morality, unity, well thinking of us Cuban during that riot. We was fighting for our freedom... Long live Cuba, long live the cuban music ... !
OIC

I was a Hostage, Inst. Hospital OIC, one who received those detainiees that were shot. Yes, even the one that was killed. I also supervised two of the three officers that were turned back by the FBI after the Cubans released them. The FBI said they wanted 50 not three and returned them back. Patreus2@aol.com