Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth (“The Avengers,” “Snow White and the Huntsman”) is attached to star in the Moby Dick-inspired disaster tale “In the Heart of the Sea” says Deadline.
An adaptation of Nathaniel Philbrick’s novel, the story follows the Nantucket whaling ship Essex, which was stalked and ultimately destroyed by a sperm whale in 1820.
Stranded thousands of miles from home, the crew struggled to survive and were lost at see for three months, at one point they were reduced to cannibalism. Only eight were ultimately rescued.
Hemsworth would play a first mate who was supplanted as captain of the whaling ship by a better connected rival. After the attack though, he becomes the hero who leads some of them to safety.
Charles Leavitt (“Blood Diamond”) adapted the script while Joe Roth, Paula Weinstein, Will Ward and Palak Patel will produce.
The project was initially setup over a decade ago with Barry Levinson and Intermedia, then Ed Zwick became attached to direct it at New Regency.
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