Alan Ritchson Teams Up with Hoa Xuande in the Upcoming Navy SEAL Film About Mike Thornton
Amazon MGM Studios Expands Cast for Mike Thornton Navy SEAL Film
Amazon MGM Studios, alongside Balboa Productions and Hidden Pictures, has announced the addition of actor Hoa Xuande to the cast of the upcoming untitled Mike Thornton Navy SEAL movie, featuring Alan Ritchson in the lead role. The film is directed by Patrick Hughes.
Joe Cole, as previously reported, will also star in the production.
Alan Ritchson portrays Thornton in this real-life story, chronicling the Navy SEAL’s desperate last stand during the final days of the Vietnam War. When five men find themselves trapped behind enemy lines, they face overwhelming odds against an army of 150 soldiers. Despite relentless enemy fire, they make a harrowing retreat into the South China Sea. With a gravely wounded lieutenant and a fellow soldier relying on him, Thornton swims through perilous waters for hours to seek safety—an act of valor that ultimately earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The film’s production team includes notable figures such as three-time Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone and D. Matt Geller from Balboa Productions, as well as Hidden Pictures’ Todd Lieberman and Alex Young, Ritchson’s AllyCat Entertainment, and Alan Rautbort. The screenplay is co-written by Mark Semos, Ritchson, and Jason Hall, known for work on American Sniper and Thank You For Your Service.
Hoa Xuande gained recognition for his role in A24 and HBO’s acclaimed series The Sympathizer, directed by Park Chan-wook and based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. His performance has garnered nominations from the Spirit Awards and the Gotham Awards. Xuande’s upcoming projects include the independent feature Here For The Weekend, produced by Will Ferrell’s Gloria Sanchez Productions, Dacre Montgomery’s directorial debut The Engagement Party, and the second season of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. His previous credits encompass the Cineflix series Last King of the Cross, Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, and A Stitch in Time.
Xuande is represented by UTA, Industry Entertainment, and Morrissey Management.
