MGM studios are currently in discussion to acquire the rights over Combat Control, a new movie based on a true story starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Sam Hargrave. According to Deadline, Combat Control will tell the story of Medal Honor recipient John Chapman, a soldier awarded fifteen years after his death when his heroic acts were finally brought to light. Hargrave's longtime collaborator Shelby Malone will associate produce and Gyllenhaal will executive produce.
In reality, Chapman died in battle on March 4, 2002, in Afghanistan, after sacrificing his own life to guarantee the safety of his team during a rescue mission. Without any eyewitnesses that could testify to events, the details of Chapman’s death remained uncertain for more than a decade. Only 15 years later would the heroic feats be investigated and revealed by Air Force Captain Cora Alexander, which lead to the posthumous promotion of Chapman to the rank of Master Seargent and his inclusion into the Hall of Heroes. The search for the actress who will play Alexander is underway.
The news couldn’t be more exciting. Hargrave is an iconic stunt coordinator, known for his work in several Marcel Cinematic Universe movies, particularly in association with the Russo brothers. Recently, an extended interview Hargrave gave Collider about his time as Second Unit Director for The Mandalorian allowed us to learn a lot more about how his works affect some of our more beloved movies and shows.
Hargrave’s vast experience with stunts also helped him build the phenomenal action sequences in Extraction, which became Netflix’s most-watched movie ever back in April 2020. Of course, that means an Extraction 2 is coming our way, and Hargrave even has some ideas about how to expand the Extraction franchise beyond the two movies. A true story war movie directed by Hargrave, then, has everything necessary to be spectacular, especially with Gyllenhaal also involved in the project.
We don’t have a lot of information about Combat Control. No trailer, no poster, no release date, not even an official synopsis that could tell us more about how the movie will approach Chapman's story. But any project with both Hargrave and Gyllenhaal attached is already a must-see. Add to this the fact that true stories about flesh-and-blood heroes have a way of captivating us all. We’ll be following the development of Combat Control with great interest, and we’ll be sure to report any news of its production as soon as they become available.