Michael Bay to Direct Universal Film on Iran Pilot Rescue

Director Michael Bay is set to helm a new feature film for Universal Pictures based on the real-life rescue of two U.S. pilots in Iran earlier this year. The project will adapt an upcoming book by author Mitchell Zuckoff, scheduled for publication in 2027.

The film will chronicle the events of April 2026, when a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was downed during a military action referred to as Operation Epic Fury. The two airmen, a pilot and a weapons systems officer, were subsequently rescued in a large-scale operation in Iran's Zagros Mountains. The successful extraction drew significant international attention.

Bay will produce the film alongside Erwin Stoff, with Scott Gardenhour adapting the screenplay. The trio previously collaborated on Bay's 2016 film, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, which was also based on a book by Zuckoff. In a statement, Bay highlighted his long-standing collaboration with the U.S. military, noting this new project celebrates those who answered the call in what he described as one of the most complex and high-stakes operations in recent history.

The director has a well-documented history of working with military consultants and utilizing...