For some people a Martin Scorsese movie is an event, but for me I feel the same way about Albert Hughes, whether he’s working solo or with his brother Allen. Hughes, the director behind Menace II Society, Dead Presidents, Book of Eli, and the underrated survival thriller Alpha, has set his sights on a new film and it focuses on one of the deadliest days in LAPD history.
Hughes will direct North Hollywood, based on the 1997 shootout between the LAPD and a pair of bank robbers equipped with military grade weapons. Nearly 2,000 rounds of ammo was fired that day, devastating the North Hollywood streets and injuring several officers. Both of the robbers were killed in the 44-minute-long gun battle, considered one of the largest in American law enforcement history.
Hughes’ film will center on the heroes who entered into a firefight they were ill-equipped to handle. Inside Man writer Russell Gewirtz will pen the screenplay. A previous film titled 44 Minutes was released in 2003 and starred Michael Madsen, Ron Livingston, and Mario Van Peebles.
I’m just excited to see Hughes get back to telling gritty, street-level stories again. His other films include From Hell, documentary American Pimp, and the upcoming Showtime series The Good Lord Bird starring Ethan Hawke. [Deadline]
