Tom Hanks to play piracy survivor Captain Richard Phillips in Sony film

Billy Ray adapting book for 'Social Network' producer Scott Rudin

By HitFix Staff Tuesday, Mar 15, 2011 5:10 PM

Tom Hanks

Credit: AP Photo

Tom Hanks will play Maersk Alabama hijacking survivor Captain Richard Phillips for an upcoming Sony film, according to Deadline.com.

In April 2009, Capt. Phillips was taken hostage by Somali pirates in order to spare Maersk Alabama's crew. After three days in captivity, Phillips was saved by Navy SEALs.

Phillips' memoirs of the incident, "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea," was released by Hyperion last year.

Billy Ray ("State of Play," the upcoming "Hunger Games") adapted the book. Sony's Scott Rudin, Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and Kevin Spacey (who teamed to produced "The Social Network") are producing.

Hanks' next project is "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," also starring Sandra Bullock and directed by Stephen Daldry ("The Reader," "The Hours").