On February 28, 2009, a group of friends set off on a trip that would end in tragedy. Nick Schuyler and Will Bleakley, along with NFL players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, left Clearwater, Florida, that day for a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico, but things took a terrible turn when a massive storm capsized their boat.

The storm made it nearly impossible for the Coast Guard to perform a rescue in the aftermath of the capsizing. Eventually, only Schuyler was left alive. He was found alone on March 2, clinging to the wreckage.

Schuyler chronicled his account of the events in a book co-written by Jere Longman called “Not Without Hope,” which is now slated to be made into a movie.

Zachary Levi (”Shazam!”) is expected to star as Schuyler, while the rest of the cast has yet to be announced. The film will be written and directed by Joe Carnahan (”The Grey”).

“U.S. Coast Guard Captain Timothy Close and his crew, beaten back in their air rescue efforts, summon their largest ship to cut through the raging ocean as the group battles massive waves, dehydration, severe hypothermia, and even sharks, in their epic struggle to survive and return home to their distraught loved ones,” according to the synopsis from Highland Film Group, which is distributing the movie.

This marks the second attempt at turning “Not Without Hope” into a film. In 2020, it was announced that Rupert Wainwright would be directing the movie, with Miles Teller (”Top Gun: Maverick”) starring as Schuyler. That project never came to fruition.

The production company has yet to provide a release date.

Observation Post is the Military Times one-stop shop for all things off-duty. Stories may reflect author observations.

Sarah Sicard is a Senior Editor with Military Times. She previously served as the Digitial Editor of Military Times and the Army Times Editor. Other work can be found at National Defense Magazine, Task & Purpose, and Defense News.

Share:
Tags:
coast guardcoast guard movieNot Without Hopeupcoming military moviesbest military moviesbest rescue movies2023 military movies
More From Observation Post
In Other News