Charlize Theron To Produce Film About Murdered War Journalist Marie Colvin

Charlize Theron is teaming up Basil Iwanyk to produce a film about slain war journalist Marie Colvin. Colvin was killed on Feb. 22, 2012 while covering the 2011-2012 Syrian Uprising. The Hollywood Reporter announced the project, which will be released by Thunder Road pictures, on Thursday.

The film is based on the Vanity Fair article "Marie Colvin's Private War." Written by Marie Brenner, the article depicts the award winning reporter's final days.

This is not the first article by Brenner to inspire a film. Her 1996 whistle blower, "The Man Who Knew Too Much," served as the basis for the 1999 film "The Insider."

Though born in the U.S., Colvin worked for the London Sunday Times from 1985 until her death. She dedicated much of her life to reporting on events in the Middle East. She also braved horrific conditions in Chechnya, Kosovo, East Timor, Sri Lanka (where she lost her left eye), and Zimbabwe.

She was one of the first journalists to interview Muammar Gaddafi during the Arab Spring in 2011.

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In her heartbreaking final report, Colvin recounted the death of a baby boy as a result! of an e xposition in the town of Homs, Syria. She also refuted claims made by President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian regime-which claimed that no civilians were being killed during the conflict. According Colvin, 28,000 innocent people were under siege.

"It's a complete and utter lie that they are only going after terrorists," she told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "The Syrian army is shelling a city of cold, starving civilians."

Shortly after the interview, the 56-year-old was killed by a shell filled with nails. It was later revealed that Colvin's editor ordered her to leave the country that same day. French photographer, Rmi Ochlik, was also killed in the attack.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that the film could also be a star vehicle for Theron, who won an Oscar for her remarkable portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 film "Monster." Indie Wire notes that having Theron attached to the unsettling true story may result in a large audience for the film.

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