Universal is planning a 9/11 movie, the second major studio film about the terrorist events (Paramount's pic directed by Oliver Stone is currently in pre-production) reports Variety.
Director Paul Greengrass ("The Bourne Supremacy") has set an October start date for "Flight 93". Universal's $15 million film will be 90 minutes long and cover the flight in real time. It begins with the takeoff and hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93 by terrorists, the discovery by passengers with cell phones that other hijacked planes had been steered into the World Trade Center towers, and the realization that their plane was being steered toward D.C. Pic culminates in the decision by passengers to sacrifice their lives to bring the plane down. Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania.
"Flight 93" will be partly improvised with an ensemble cast, and Greengrass will use handheld cameras and other stylized techniques to give the film a gritty feel. A 40-day shoot is expected to begin October 1st. While there is no timetable for the film's release, one scenario would be to submit it to the Cannes Film Festival in 2006 and release it shortly after.
Thanks to 'Jim'.
