Sean Penn is circling the drama “The Last Photograph,” in which he would co-star with Christian Bale, reports Deadline.com.
The film, written by Kurt Johnstad, will be directed by Niels Arden Oplev (the original Swedish “Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”).
Bale is set to play a war reporter in Afghanistan who is the only survivor of an attack on a group of Americans. Penn would play a retired soldier who travels there to rescue a kidnapped family member. The duo team up and have to contend with the hostile landscape — one for his family, the other for the exclusive story.
“Photograph” was originally set up at Warner Bros, and is in negotiations to move to Dark Castle, whose Joel Silver (“The Matrix”) and Andrew Rona would produce and finance, with Warner Bros. maintaining distributing rights.
Zack and Deborah Snyder (“300,” “Superman: Man of Steel”) are producing with Hollywood Gang’s Gianni Nunnari.
Bale is currently shooting “The Dark Knight Rises,” and won’t be available until its completion.
Penn had previously been in talks with Warner Bros. for several films, including Snyder’s Superman project and “The Gangster Squad,” but reportedly turned them down.
He was recently seen in “Fair Game,” with Naomi Watts and will co-star alongside Brad Pitt in Terrence Malick’s upcoming “Tree of Life.” Penn was also featured in Malick’s “The Thin Red Line” in 1998.