You might not know it, but Adam Driver has a military background. Shortly after 9/11, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, but was medically discharged before he could sent into the field, and subsequently went on to Julliard. The rest, as they say, is history. But he hasn’t forgotten his background, and founded Arts In The Armed Forces, which brings the live theater experience to U.S. military branches. And all of that will serve Driver well as he prepares for a new role.
Deadline reports that Driver will lead “Tough As They Come,” with Sylvester Stallone directing and co-starring. Based on the memoir by United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills, it tells the true story of the author becoming a quadruple amputee, and the relationship forged with his father-in-law. Here’s the book synopsis:
Thousands of soldiers die year to defend their country. United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was sure that he would become another statistic when, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was caught in an IED blast four days before his twenty-fifth birthday. Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost—Travis became one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.
Suddenly forced to reconcile with the fact that he no longer had arms or legs, Travis was faced with a future drastically different from the one he had imagined for himself. He would never again be able to lead his squad, stroke his fingers against his wife’s cheek, or pick up his infant daughter.
Travis struggled through the painful and anxious days of rehabilitation so that he could regain the strength to live his life to the fullest. With enormous willpower and endurance, the unconditional love of his family, and a generous amount of faith, Travis shocked everyone with his remarkable recovery. Even without limbs, he still swims, dances with his wife, rides mountain bikes, and drives his daughter to school.
Travis inspires thousands every day with his remarkable journey. He doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded. “I’m just a man with scars,” he says, “living life to the fullest and best I know how.”
Driver will play Mills, with Stallone as his father-in-law. The picture will mark Stallone’s first directorial effort since 2010’s “The Expendables,” and certainly, at least on paper, it sounds like it has some awards potential. But it seems to be early stages yet as no screenwriter has been assigned, so this could be a way off.