Jon Hamm Signs On to Political Thriller HIGH WIRE ACT

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jon Hamm will star in the upcoming political thriller HIGH WIRE ACT, penned by Tony Gilroy. Brad Anderson is set to helm the project for Radar Pictures.

The site reports that the 'Mad Men' star will portray "a former U.S. diplomat who is called back into service to save a former colleague from the group possibly responsible for his own family's death," in the drama set in 1980's Beirut.

Commented author Gilroy on the casting, "I'm thrilled the way the project's come together. Jon Hamm was made to play the part. I've been trying to work with Brad Anderson from THE MOMENT I saw Transsiberian, and every conversation we have confirms my confidence. I can't wait to see a script that means so much to me get up and running."

Added director Anderson: "Tony may have been channeling John le Carré when he wrote this, and as such it has many of the themes I love that make those stories so great -- the political intrigue, the betrayals, the morally compromised characters, the reluctant heroes. And it's set in a world - war-torn Beirut - that's seldom depicted on screen."

Anderson's previous film work has included The Machinist with Christian Bale, Session 9 and The Call. He will soon helm the pilots for CBS' upcoming series Zoo.

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