K.T Simpson
Chris Hemsworth (“Thor,” “The Avengers” films) and Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road,” “Nocturnal Animals”) star in “12 Strong,” a powerful new war drama from Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Based on the best-selling book Horse Soldiers, it is story of heroism based on true events that unfolded a world away in the aftermath of 9/11.
Award-winning director Nicolai Fuglsig directed the film, which is produced by legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, “Black Hawk Down”), together with Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill (“La La Land,” “Sicario”) under their Black Label Media banner. Oscar winner Ted Tally (“The Silence of the Lambs”) and Peter Craig (“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Parts 1 & 2”) wrote the screenplay, based on the acclaimed book by best-selling author Doug Stanton. The executive producers are Oscar nominees and Alcon principals Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson (“The Blind Side”), together with Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Ellen H. Schwartz, Garrett Grant, Yale Badik and Val Hill.
The main cast also includes Michael Peña (“The Martian, “Ant-Man”) and Navid Negahban (“American Sniper,” TV’s “Homeland”). Joining Hemsworth, Shannon and Peña as the “12 Strong” U.S. Special Forces team are Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight”), Geoff Stults (“Only the Brave”), Thad Luckinbill (“Only the Brave”), Austin Stowell (“Bridge of Spies”), Ben O’Toole (“Hacksaw Ridge”), Austin Hebert (“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”), Kenneth Miller (“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”), Kenny Sheard (“13 Hours”) and Jack Kesy (TV’s “The Strain). Actors portraying soldiers of Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance include Laith Nakli (“24: Legacy”), Fahim Fazli (“American Sniper”) and Yousuf Azami (“Lone Survivor”), and Said Taghmaoui (“Wonder Woman”) as a Taliban military leader. Also seen in the film are Elsa Pataky (the “Fast & Furious” films), as Nelson’s wife, and William Fichtner (“Black Hawk Down,” “Armageddon”) and Rob Riggle (“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “The Hangover”) as U.S. Army officers.
“12 Strong” is set in the harrowing days following 9/11 when a U.S. Special Forces team, led by their new Captain, Mitch Nelson (Hemsworth), is chosen to be the first U.S. troops sent into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerous mission. There, in the rugged mountains, they must convince Northern Alliance General Dostum (Negahban) to join forces with them to fight their common adversary: the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies. In addition to overcoming mutual distrust and a vast cultural divide, the Americans—accustomed to state-of-the-art warfare—must adopt the rudimentary tactics of the Afghani horse soldiers. But despite their uneasy bond, the new allies face overwhelming odds: outnumbered and outgunned by a ruthless enemy that does not take prisoners.
The behind-the-scenes team included director of photography Rasmus Videbaek (“A Royal Affair”), production designer Christopher Glass (“The Jungle Book”), editor Lisa Lassek (“The Avengers,” “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”), costume designer Daniel J. Lester (assistant costume designer on “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Hurt Locker”) and Academy Award-winning stunt coordinator/second unit director Mic Rodgers (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “Braveheart”).
Slated for release on January 19, 2018, “12 Strong” will be distributed domestically by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Lionsgate is handling international distribution.
