January has become a destination for opening Afghanistan War dramas, from the nationwide expansions of “American Sniper” and “Lone Survivor” to the release of Michael Bay’s “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.” “12 Strong” will join the club next year. The film, formerly titled “Horse Soldiers,” is based on Doug Stanton’s non-fiction book of same name and stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena, and “Moonlight” breakout Trevante Rhodes.
“12 Strong” is set in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Hemsworth plays Captain Mitch Nelson, who joins other US Special Forces members on a mission to Afghanistan to fight against the Taliban. The drama marks the directorial debut of Nicolai Fuglsig, who previously worked as a photojournalist covering the Kosovo War. Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the film’s producers.
The war drama opens in theaters on January 19 via Warner Brothers. Watch the first trailer below, courtesy of USA Today.
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