Adam Driver to Portray Medal of Honor Hero John Chapman in Ron Howard’s “Alone at Dawn”

Adam Driver, an Oscar-nominated actor who served in the Marines, has been cast as John Chapman, an Air Force combat controller who won the Medal of Honor, in Ron Howard's upcoming war thriller “Alone at Dawn.”

The movie is based on the best-selling book "Alone at Dawn" by Dan Schilling and Chapman's sister, Lori Chapman Longfritz. Deadline reported this on Tuesday. The long-delayed project was supposed to star Jake Gyllenhaal and be called "Combat Control," but problems with the plot and at the studio held it up for years.

Howard is bringing back the story of Chapman's amazing bravery during the Battle of Takur Ghar in Afghanistan in March 2002 under the banner of Imagine Entertainment. Chapman was given the Medal of Honor after his death in 2018 for what he did that day. He was the first airman since the Vietnam War to receive the nation's greatest military honor.

Chapman, 36, was with a Navy SEAL team when heavy enemy fire hit their helicopter as they were making their way to the top of the 10,000-foot hill. Neil Roberts, a petty officer first class, fell from the plane, so Chapman and the team went back to the mountain to try to save him.

"John was the first to charge up the mountain toward the enemy," former President Trump said at the Medal of Honor event in 2018. Despite being hit by gunfire and knocked out, Chapman continued to fight alone, despite the overwhelming odds against him.

Later, video from a drone showed that Chapman killed several insurgents and watched over an arriving rescue team before he was fatally wounded. "John lived through that first wound and fought for another hour," said Col. Ken Rodriguez, who was in charge of his group. "He gave up his life for other people at the end." He is clearly a soldier who deserves the Medal of Honor.

A 2016 article in the New York Times told the story of Chapman and how his Air Force Cross was changed to the Medal of Honor after his death based on video proof and accounts from witnesses. Valerie Nessel, his wife, accepted the medal at a White House ceremony in his honor.

Driver, who used to be a U.S. Marine, brings military knowledge to the job. The 41-year-old actor is known for his roles in Star Wars, Marriage Story, and Paterson. Anne Hathaway will also be in the movie, but her part has not been announced yet.

The movie "Alone at Dawn" does not have a release date yet, but filming should start soon. The movie wants to recognize Chapman's bravery, sacrifice, and work as one of the Air Force's most famous heroes.

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