Written by on Jan 30, 2012. Posted in Production News

Tom Hanks Somali piracy feature scouts filming locations in Malta and Morocco

A new feature telling the true story of a US sea captain’s 2009 encounter with Somali pirates is scouting filming locations in Malta and Morocco. Captain Phillips will star Tom Hanks as the captain who offered himself as a prisoner to the pirates in exchange for the release of his crew.

Peter Busuttil is head of the Malta Film Commission and spoke to Times of Malta: “Malta fits the film location perfectly. But we are still in discussions.”

Malta fits the film location perfectly. But we are still in discussions.

Peter Busuttil, Maltese Film Commissioner

Columbia Pictures will distribute the film and a team recently visited Malta and Morocco to scout locations in the region. Malta is an obvious choice for the shoot as the country offers the right climate to double for the waters off Somalia, while its world-famous water tank facilities would be suitable for scenes dramatising the open water pirate attack and Captain Phillips’ capture.

The story ended dramatically when US Navy snipers killed several pirates on President Obama’s authority and rescued Captain Phillips just a few days after he was captured. Paul Greengrass is on board to direct the film.

(Main page image courtesy of Malcolm Scerri-Ferrante.)