Gavin O'Connor is writing the script for the soccer-themed pic that takes place against the backdrop of World War II.
As World Cup mania reaches a fever pitch, a soccer-themed project at Warner Bros. is heating up with Doug Liman at the helm.
The Edge of Tomorrow director is in talks to helm Victory, a remake of a 1981 action film of the same name that is being adapted by Gavin O'Connor.
The story is set during World War II as allied POWs prepare for a soccer match against the German National Team to be played in Nazi-occupied Paris. But amid the preparations, the French Resistance and British officers are making plans for the team's escape.
American studios have traditionally made embraced sports movies about American sports like baseball and football, yet has shied away from soccer films, despite the sport's global appeal. But as international box office has become increasingly important, soccer is becoming more palatable to studio executives. Imagine Entertainment is producing a film on soccer icon Pele. The sport is becoming more popular in the United States as well. A World Cup match this week between U.S.A. and Portugal drew 18.2 million viewers, marking the sport's most-watched event in U.S. history.
But Victory is much more than a sports movie and is steeped in geopolitics — a cross between Monuments Men and the hockey film Miracle, which O'Connor directed.
Liman most recently directed the Tom Cruise starrer Edge of Tomorrow for Warners. His helming credits also include Jumper and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
