Imperative Entertainment has come aboard to produce “Prince of War,” the biopic that will focus on the life of Erik Prince, the ex-Navy SEAL and founder of the private military contracting firm, Blackwater, an individual with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap.
Michaël R. Roskam (“The Drop,” “Bullhead,” “Berlin Station”) will direct the film.
The script will be based on the book “Civilian Warriors,” written by Prince and a 2009 Vanity Fair piece, “Tycoon, Contractor, Soldier, Spy” by Adam Ciralsky. Stuart Beattie (“Collateral”) wrote the initial draft of the screenplay and is working with Roskam on a new version.
The story centers on Prince, the ex-Navy SEAL and billionaire capitalist who was dogged by a grand-jury investigation, clandestine CIA assassination missions, and the voluntary manslaughter trial of five former employees. This deep dive into the industry of modern warfare reflects on the dark convergence of capitalism and patriotism.
Prince is the brother of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Ryan Friedkin will produce from Imperative Entertainment, Nicolas Chartier from Voltage Pictures and Craig Flores from Bread and Circuses Entertainment will also produce and Adam Ciralsky from P3 Media will Executive Produce.
30WEST will arrange the financing and distribution for the project
Roskam is represented at UTA, Anonymous Content and Jackoway; Beattie is represented at Paradigm and Joan Vento-Hall; Chartier by Levin Law Corp.; Prince by Gray Krauss LLP; Ciralsky by Endeavor Content, Gray Krauss LLP.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.