'American Underdog' creators bringing story of fallen Navy SEAL Adam Brown to the big screen

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Thursday, July 28, 2022

The true story of a Christian U.S. Navy soldier who overcame struggles to become a member of the elite Navy Seal team that killed Osama bin Laden will hit the big screen in a forthcoming film from the faith-based production team Kingdom Story Company. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kingdom Story Company, helmed by Christian filmmaking brothers Jon and Andrew Erwin, has acquired the rights to Eric Blehm’s New York Times bestselling book, Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown.

The book follows the story of Seal Team 6 commando Adam Brown, a Navy soldier who overcame struggles, including drug addiction and jail time, to reach the top tier of the U.S. military. Fueled by faith and love for his family, Brown eventually became a member of the elite Navy Seal team best known for killing Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.

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“We are tremendously honored to bring this story to life, and I can’t think of a better person to write this than Jason Hall. We are all honored by the trust the Brown family has placed in us to tell this story,” Andrew Erwin said in a statement.

Brown died in battle in March 2010 while on a mission in Afghanistan to kill or capture a major Taliban leader, saving the lives of several others in the process. He was a 12-year veteran of the Navy and left behind a wife and two children.

“We are so blessed that such an amazing team will bring Adam’s story — as told in Fearless — to the big screen. His legacy is in good hands,” Kelley Brown, who was married to Brown, said in a statement.

Brown’s official obituary from the United States Navy Memorial notes that the soldier’s “courage was only one side of a complex man who balanced his life with Christian faith.”

“He was known for his kindness and compassion as much as he was for his toughness and fearlessness,” it says.

“A comrade said, ‘He will always be my best friend,” it continues. “Adam was the toughest man I ever met. He was the most selfless person I ever met.’ Another said, ‘Most importantly, his love and commitment to his family should serve as an example to all men. Adam poured his soul into getting the most out of life.’ ‘He fell protecting his teammates. Adam died a hero,’ said another.”

Jason Hall, who earned an Oscar nomination for penning “American Sniper,” will write the film’s screenplay, while Andrew Erwin will direct. Kevin Downes will join Andrew Erwin in producing the feature along with Mark Ciardi and Jon Erwin.

Kingdom Story Company is behind a slew of faith-based box office hits, including “I Can Only Imagine,” “American Underdog,” “The Jesus Music” and “I Still Believe.” The company has a distribution deal with Lionsgate.

At this year’s K-LOVE Fan Awards, “American Underdog,” which follows the story of NFL legend Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda, received the Film Impact award. The Erwins were also nominated for their 2021 film “The Jesus Music."

“We make the films that we want to see,” Jon Erwin told The Christian Post. “We love being entertained. That's why I love to go to the movies. But we also love to be interested to be inspired and motivated. And so we just encounter a story, whether it's the interview with Kurt and Brenda Warner, which led to ‘American Underdog,’ that blew us away, or the first interview with Amy Grant … that led to what became ‘Jesus Music.’ It’s amazing that we get to tell stories that inspire us first, and then we let the audience into that.”

Andy Erwin told CP he believes there is a “revolution and renaissance of Christianity in Hollywood right now, all over the industry" that will lead to the production of even more uplifting films. 

“I'm just grateful that we get to play a small role,” he said. “But God is just working in every studio, outside the system, inside the system. It's an uprising, and it's fun to be part of it. So I think you're going to see more and more of [these kinds of] films as they get bigger and better.”

The release date is not yet set, as the film is still in pre-production.