When film studio Warner Bros decided to make a movie based on the real life events of how 3 American men foiled a terrorist attack onboard a French Train back in 2015 they took the very bold step of actually hiring the guys involved to star in it despite having no acting experience between them.
On the 21st August 2015 a passenger on board the 15:17 train from Amsterdam to Paris opened fire with a gun. With 554 passengers on board, loss of life would’ve almost been inevitable was it not predominantly for a group of three American friends on a European vacation. Risking their own lives, they rushed, tackled, disarmed, and subdued the gunman, a feat that earned them bravery awards from France, Belgium and the United States.
The guys – Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, and Spencer Stone – decided to write a book about it, and soon afterwards film company Warner Bros picked up the right to it.
They installed the legend that is Clint Eastwood as director, and he set about casting. He originally planned to hire actors to play the parts of the 3 main characters, but in an amazing twist decided to hire the actual guys to play their own parts, despite none of them having any previous acting experience.
As well as detailing how the attack unfolded the film also details the back stories of the guys growing up in Fair Oaks, California, and what led to the moment that made them international heroes.
Check out the trailer for The 15:17 To Paris below, which is scheduled to be released on February 9th.