Back in 2015, a report had HBO developing “Unarmed,” a limited series written by Oscar winner Eric Roth and Denis Johnson, set at an Armed Forces medical center. The project was looking for a director at the time, but 11 years later, it still hasn’t happened.
During an interview on Rick Rubin’s Tetragrammaton podcast, which aired just a few weeks ago, Roth confirms he is “very close” to getting the project made, and that Kathryn Bigelow “might do it.”
Roth had originally envisioned “Unarmed” as a movie before “things started to conflict” in his schedule, leading him to sell it to HBO, who then, at Roth’s recommendation, hired Johnson to write five “spectacular scripts.” All main characters will be portrayed by disabled military veterans. No word yet on whether the project will return to being a movie or remain a series.
“Unarmed” follows Amos Searl, a civilian psychiatrist starting his career at a military medical facility that treats veterans recovering from severe injuries, including amputations and burns, sustained in America’s recent conflicts. Having endured his own personal battles as a double amputee, Searl—someone who has long challenged authority—seeks to help these young service members navigate their return to civilian life, offering guidance and understanding as they struggle to reclaim a sense of home and purpose.
Now, the themes are right up Bigelow’s alley, as her last five films have dealt with political conflict. However, “Unarmed” will move away from the battleground and set its story right at home. Here’s Roth explaining why this project is so close to his heart:
I thought, how come they haven’t done a movie about the guys who’ve come home from war? Every other era has done that. The Best Years of Our Lives. The Men. Coming Home, of course. They haven’t done that for Iraq and Afghanistan.
Roth is one of the most acclaimed screenwriters in the business and has been showered with awards throughout his career. Some of his credits include “Forrest Gump,” “The Insider,” “Munich,” and “Dune.” In that same interview, he confirms he is currently writing the script for Denis Villeneuve’s Rendezvous With Rama.
Meanwhile, Bigelow is coming off last year’s “A House of Dynamite”—her first film in over eight years. She’s also the filmmaker behind “The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Strange Days,” “Point Break,” and “Near Dark.”