Both coming off big years in Hollywood, Mark Ruffalo and Kumail Nanjiani are now reportedly in talks to star in The True American, a post-9/11 drama from director Pablo Larrain (Jackie).
Based on the 2014 non-fiction book The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas by Anand Giridharadas, the book takes place in Texas mere days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
It tells the true story of Rais Bhuiyan, a Muslim immigrant and Bangladeshi Air Force veteran who survived a potentially deadly hate crime only to plead for mercy on behalf of his attacker, self-styled “Arab slayer” Mark Stroman, who had been slated for execution.
The film first got off the ground a few years ago, with Kathryn Bigelow in line to direct the adaptation, and Tom Hardy and Riz Ahmed in the lead roles. Bigelow will still produce the film alongside Annapurna’s Megan Ellison and Matthew Budman.
While the book and film are set in the post-9/11 days, The True American looks to be just as relevant in today’s world, and considering the talent set to be both in front and behind the camera, this has plenty of potential to be exceptional.
All three talents are coming off either recent Oscar-nominated works or huge box office success, which should mean plenty of eyes on a film that will have just as much to say about our current political climate as the one 17 years ago.
#Peace.Love.TheTrueAmerican
