Luke Evans (The Alienist, Beauty and the Beast, The Girl on the Train) has been cast in Roland Emmerich’s (Independence Day franchise, The Day After Tomorrow) World War II action movie Midway, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Evans joins the previously announced Woody Harrelson (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Mandy Moore (This Is Us) on the Wes Tooke (Colony) scripted project.
Based on the true story of the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific theater of World War II, the film chronicles the heroic and harrowing exploits of the soldiers and aviators who achieved the unbelievable to turn the tide of the war.
Evans is portraying Commander Wade McClusky, who would go on to win a Naval Cross for his role in Midway. Harrelson will play Admiral Chester Nimitz, one of the leaders who lead the American naval fleet to victory in a forway that involved aircraft carriers, destroyers, and cruisers.
From Stuard Ford’s AGC Studios, Midway is produced by Emmerich’s Centropolis Entertainment, Harald Kloser (2012, White House Down, Independence Day: Resurgence), and Mark Gordon (Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Molly’s Game). The film is in pre-production with principal photography to start August 16.
Starlight Entertainment Group and Providence Entertainment Limited are financing Midway. U.S. and China theatrical distribution is already set with Lionsgate to release through its Summit Entertainment label stateside and Bona Film Group to release in Greater China. Creative Artists Agency (CAA) brokered the financing and distribution deals.
Universal Pictures released a big budget epic version of the event also titled Midway in 1976, which starred Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn and Toshiro Mifune.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
