Adam Driver to Portray Medal of Honor Hero John Chapman in Upcoming War Drama ‘Alone at Dawn’

Actor Adam Driver attends the premiere of "White Noise" at Alice Tully Hall during the 60th New York Film Festival in New York on Sept. 30, 2022. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

The remarkable story of U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. John Chapman, a Medal of Honor recipient who died in a one-man stand during the war in Afghanistan, is being brought to the big screen in a new film directed by Ron Howard.

Titled “Alone at Dawn,” the film will depict Chapman’s final moments of heroism during the 2002 Battle of Takur Ghar, when he fought to his death defending his team on a remote Afghan mountain. His courage and sacrifice made him one of the most revered figures in modern U.S. military history.

Chapman, a combat controller with the Air Force’s elite 24th Special Tactics Squadron, was attached to the SEAL Team Six unit during Operation Anaconda. When the unit was forced to retreat under heavy enemy fire, Chapman remained behind to protect his team and continued fighting despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

He was later found to have regained consciousness and reengaged the enemy alone, actions that saved the lives of several fellow servicemen.

Years later, after extensive review of video evidence from a drone overhead, Chapman was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The film, produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Imagine Entertainment, will star Adam Driver as Chapman, and Anne Hathaway as the intelligence officer who championed efforts to secure his Medal of Honor. Howard, known for acclaimed true-story adaptations such as “Apollo 13” and “A Beautiful Mind,” is to direct the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The story is based on the 2019 book “Alone at Dawn” by retired Air Force Combat Controller Dan Schilling and Chapman’s sister, Lori Longfritz. Schilling, who served in the same special tactics community as Chapman, will serve as a military consultant on the film.

“‘Alone at Dawn’ is also a behind-the-scenes look at the Air Force Combat Controllers: the world’s deadliest and most versatile special operations force, whose members must not only exceed the qualifications of Navy SEAL and Army Delta Force teams but also act with sharp decisiveness and deft precision—even in the face of life-threatening danger,” the book description reads.

Driver, a former U.S. Marine, has spoken about his deep respect for those who serve and his careful approach to portraying military figures on screen. The project marks a return to his roots, combining his Hollywood experience with his understanding of military life.

Production details and an official release date have not yet been announced but the film is expected to premiere in theaters no later than late 2026.