James Gray‘s “Armageddon Time” finally hits theaters today after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this past May. And the film, Gray’s follow-up to 2019’s “Ad Astra,” has a great deal of buzz surrounding it, with near-unanimous critical support. Now what’s next for Gray comes into focus, as Deadline reports the director will helm a biopic about a young John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States.
The upcoming film focuses on JFK’s evolution from an unremarkable young man into a World War II hero in his attempts to prove his mettle to his powerful father. Kennedy’s time in WWII later forged his path into politics and the White House. The film will not deal with his 1963 assassination at all.
Gray rewrites a script first penned by Samuel Franco and Evan Kilgore, with production scheduled to begin next year. Marc Butan and Anthony Katagas co-produce the film MadRiver Pictures, their sixth collaboration with Gray. Jacqueline de Croÿ serves as executive producer through her Dear Gaia Films banner.
Much of the still-untitled film’s story will center around Kennedy’s time as the commander of the patrol torpedo boat PT 109. After a Japanese destroyer ship “Amagin” rammed their boat, Kennedy and surviving crew members escaped the sinking vessel and swam three miles to a nearby island. Once here, Kennedy swam to another island looking for rescuers, almost drowning on his return. After several other trips swimming across the water, the US Navy rescued Kennedy and the remaining crew after meeting friendly locals and scrawling an SOS signal in coconuts on the island’s beach. Kennedy won medals and qualified for a Purple Heart for his actions. The story is the basis for the 1963 film “PT 109,” with Cliff Robertson in the role of JFK.
“It’s an honor to be on board this project with the fantastic producing team at MadRiver,” Gray said in a press statement. “JFK is a figure that’s captivated the attention of the world for decades, as an American president, an ally of the Civil Rights movement and a cultural icon. But this is a unique opportunity to sweep away the myth and explore a side we don’t know at all.”
No word on a title or release date for the upcoming biopic, but don’t expect it to have its world premiere until 2024.