From ‘Transformers’ to Oscar bait? Michael Bay to direct film about Benghazi attacks

Michael Bay's next project probably isn't what you were expecting.

The “Transformers” director is in talks to direct “13 Hours,” an adaptation of the book by Mitchell Zuckoff about the attacks on the American diplomatic compound in Libya on September 11, 2012, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chuck Hogan (“The Strain”) wrote the script for the Paramount film, which will focus on six members of a security team that valiantly fought to stave off the aggressors.

Four Americans including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens were killed in the attacks on the embassy and a nearby CIA compound, which was alleged to have been carried out by members of the Libyan terror organization Ansar al-Sharia. The incident resulted in widespread criticism of State Department officials (including then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) for alleged security lapses at the consulate.

Bay's last film was “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. His only non-“Transformers” credit since taking the helm of the blockbuster franchise was last year's crime comedy “Pain and Gain”; that film debut to mixed reviews but decent box-office, bringing in $86 million off a $26 million budget.

Do you think Bay is the right choice for “13 Hours”? Let us know in the comments.

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