According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christian Bale and Steve Zahn will star in Rescue Dawn, an action drama by Werner Herzog and based on the director's acclaimed 1997 documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly.

The project, which has been coming together in fits and starts during the past year, begins shooting in Thailand in mid-August. The film recounts the true story of German-born Dieter Dengler, who dreamed of being a pilot and eventually made his way to the United States, where he joined the military during the Vietnam War era. He was shot down over Vietnam and captured. Eventually he organized an escape with a small band of captives.

Bale will play Dengler, and Zahn will play an ill-looking and bent POW.