EXCLUSIVE: Now that we know the competition plans, it’s time to roll out the star packages that will line the Cannes market. Here’s an inspiring film package that’s sure to be a hit with buyers. Way of the warrior child Production is set to begin this summer, with Chris Pratt starring and McG directing an adaptation of Jock Willink’s novel written by Will Staples. He is the retired Navy SEAL who found a successful second career as a podcast host, best-selling author and motivational speaker.
UTA Independent Film Group and FilmNation will present the script shortly. If it’s as good as the backstories here, it should be a hot property. It’s a youth empowerment story, except the title character doesn’t wave a magic wand or wear spandex. He is a self-doubting boy who is bullied and has a hard time doing a single pull-up. Until his Uncle Jake, an elite Navy SEAL, is injured on a mission and moves in with his sister for rehab. When he discovers that his 11-year-old nephew Marc is struggling academically, socially and physically, Jake takes on a new mission: using his SEAL Team training over three months over the summer to help the teen embrace his inner warrior find.
Willink found a second career as an adult guide, which is how he became friends with Pratt, the star of the series Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers And Jurassic world films after he transformed from that chubby protagonist Parks and Recreation into a torn protagonist. Willink decided to write a young adult book after the books he read to his own children left him wanting.
“I spent my adult life in the military,” he said. “I’ve been in the SEAL teams, deployed all over the place, been up the chain of command and been fortunate to have a blessed career. All this time I also had a wife and four children. I wanted to read books to them and went to the store or library, but I just couldn’t find any that I liked. The last straw was a pirate book. And it was full of the weakest, most pathetic pirates I had ever heard of in my life.”
What was missing? Depictions of children realizing that they can’t change their lives if they don’t make an effort. “So I started writing and publishing these children’s books to give them value and direction, and suddenly I’m getting letters and emails and handwritten notes from kids all over the world who have done their first pull-up or competed in their first jujitsu competition, or memorized all the presidents. These are all things that are in the books.”
The film is produced by Ben Everard, McG, Mary Viola and Willink.
“I had done a private equity deal with one of my companies and one of the bankers who was friends with Ben Everard,” Willink said. “One day Ben came into his kid’s room and his son was down there on the floor doing push-ups. He was a little taken aback and asked: What’s wrong? His son said he had been reading Way of the warrior childand Ben thought, this must be a pretty powerful book if it has that kind of effect on my child.”
SEALs can’t be too patient or wait for permission because he spent his own money to hire Staples, who adapted the SEAL story by Tom Clancy Without regrets.
“Will Staples’ script is incredible,” Pratt told Deadline. “I have known Jocko Willink for several years and therefore really wanted to read the script based on his children’s book series. I believe in the power of storytelling and felt particularly drawn to this material. I am confident that this film will help shape the youth of today and put them on the right path. Our youth needs this film. I founded Indivisible Productions to make films like this. In a world that feels divided, I think it’s crucial to remember that we are one nation, and I hope this story will help bridge the growing divide and the next generation to do so to inspire to learn valuable lessons about discipline, self-confidence, strength and compassion. This is the kind of film that can define a generation The Karate Kid or Rocky. As a father, I want to show my children a film like this. With the help of an incredible creative team and the right partner, we will make it happen.
“What particularly appeals to me about my character Jake is the opportunity to portray a character that seems to be missing from contemporary pop culture and the lives of so many young people: a mindful representation of healthy masculinity,” Pratt said. “Jake uses fundamental principles he learned in the Navy SEALs to teach his nephew to gain confidence and become mentally and physically stronger to overcome adversity like dealing with bullies, getting better grades in school, and more.” I have close ones Family and friends who served in the military, including my older brother, who had a huge impact on my life. That’s why I’m always particularly drawn to stories like this, which inspire us to face our fears and become stronger mentally and physically.”
When they brought the package to McG, the helmsman of Charlie’s Angels immediately brought forth the redemption story in the most personal way. It brought him back to the most devastating setback of his career.
“I don’t know if you remember this, Mike, but I got fired Superman because I was very agoraphobic and afraid of flying,” McG said. “When I did the first two Charlie’s Angels Movies, I never had to leave Los Angeles. Everything was going so well. I remember trying to tell Alan Horn and Barry Meyer, “Hey, I’m afraid to fly. I can’t go to Australia.” They wanted to shoot it in Australia. They had been very lucky there The Matrix Movies down there and they couldn’t understand my shortcoming. Maybe it surprised her because I have such a big, boisterous personality. I tried, but when the day came that I had to get on the plane, I couldn’t do it. I was fired from Warners that night and received a letter from legal the next day saying, “We reserve the right to sue you.” You caused damage. Really a low point in my life.”
McG wanted to tell this story because it shows that there are few problems you can’t solve if you’re willing to tackle them head-on and make the effort to put them in the rearview mirror. He found help and went through a process that included sleeping on a plane that was parked on the tarmac. Finally he was able to take off. Since then he has flown to Australia several times because he found a way to control his fear of flying over water. “That’s why I did the Matthew McConaughey movie, We are marshall, which was about a team recovering from a devastating plane crash. Now that I have kids of my own, I just feel drawn to following the Rob Reiner style and avoiding being pigeonholed.
“I had met Chris Pratt, who I only knew a little bit, even though he was in the second season of That’s OKMcG told Deadline. “We hit it off in our shared enthusiasm for what Jocko was all about and what he was going through with his children, and we’re here to try to give a new generation an antidote to social media.” It’s becoming increasingly clear that it really is is not good for you. Kids are stuck in rooms, staring at screens and scrolling through all this stuff. The result is bad feelings about yourself, low self-esteem and harmful thoughts. We can make it so that this film never comes across as preachy or finger-wagging. In Chris Pratt we have one of the great entertainers carrying the torch. We want to convey the good feelings we remember from Rocky and The Karate Kid. They bring everyone along, I love films that give me that feeling. That’s what we want to achieve and I think we have a really good chance of achieving it.”
FilmNation will handle international distribution and UTA Independent Film Group will handle North America.
Pratt is repped by UTA, Rise Mgmt and Sloane Offer; McG is WME and Sloane Offer; Staples is CAA and Grandview; Everard is Lichter Grossman.