And the most outrageous part? The film is based on an outrageous true story.
Phillips’ wartime comedy is based on journalist Guy Lawson’s article for Rolling Stone about a trio of friends who, in their 20s, exploited a government initiative allowing small businesses to bid on big-time government contracts during the Iraq War. Lawson later chronicled their story in his 2015 novel Arms and the Dudes.
War Dogs casts Moneyball actor Hill and Whiplash actor Teller as two guys living in Miami who manage to win a $300 million contract to supply weapons during the war. Their subsequent efforts to fulfill that contract while still making a profit end up putting them in the crosshairs — both figuratively and literally — both home and abroad.
The film features a script co-written by The Hangover franchise writer Phillips, as well as Stephen Chin (Another Day in Paradise) and Jason Smilovic (Lucky Number Slevin), and is the first film directed by Phillips since the 2013 franchise-ending sequel The Hangover III. Previously in development under the working title Arms and the Dudes, the film was originally expected to star Jesse Eisenberg and Shia LaBeouf, but was later recast with its current duo.
Along with Teller and Hill, the film also stars Ana de Armas (Knock Knock) and Oscar-nominated Silver Linings Playbook and American Sniper actor Bradley Cooper. Phillips, Cooper, and Mark Gordon (Steve Jobs) serve as producers on the film.
War Dogs is scheduled to hit theaters August 19.
