Brad Pitt will star as Gen. Stanley McChrystal in the film adaptation of Michael Hastings' book"The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Pitt, who will also be a producer, will be joined by David Michod, who THR reports will write and direct the film.
"The Operators" gave a longer, behind-the-scenes look at the conduct of McChrystal and his staff in Afghanistan and while traveling in Europe. It was a followup to Hastings' award-winning Rolling Stone article "The Runaway General," which included damaging statements made by McChrystal's staffers that ended up getting the general fired.
At the time of the incident, McChrystal was the commander of all coalition forces in Afghanistan. He was replaced by Gen. David Petraeus.
Writing in his book "Duty," then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote of the incident:
About five p.m., Stan called me to apologize for the article. Deeply fearful of its impact on the war, for once I couldn't contain my anger: "What the f--- were you thinking?" McChrystal offered no explanation, didn't say he or his staff had been misquoted or that the article was distorted in any way. The four-star general replied essentially as he had been taught as a cadet at West Point—"No excuse, sir."
Pitt's production company Plan B will produce the film along with New Regency and Brett Ratner's RatPac Entertainment, Rolling Stone reports. No production date has been set.
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