Later that evening, a call was placed home. “How did the boxing go?” my wife inquired. “I think I broke Peter’s jaw,” was the jesting reply. A moment of faux concern, “I hope he can still talk,” she responded. “Just kidding,” I reassured, “it was all for show. Heavy bag lesson instead.”
The following evening, director Peter Berg suggested dinner. A steakhouse on Albuquerque’s outskirts was the venue. He arrived late, looking worn, and slumped into the bar stool. His day had been spent at Kirtland Air Force Base, immersed in “choppers” – Berg’s favored military slang – and scouting mountain ranges. These locations were crucial for depicting the intense Taliban-SEAL shootout in his upcoming movie. This film, slated for release later that year, promised to be a groundbreakingly realistic portrayal of close-quarters combat. “Must have climbed 30 mountains today,” Berg sighed, “We’re juggling locations because of access issues with Indian land.” A wry observation followed, eyebrows raised, “Sacred, except for the casino land, I guess.”
“Lone Survivor” was proving to be a taxing endeavor for Peter Berg, especially on a tight budget. A mere 42-day shoot, a $40 million budget, and a producer list stretching a mile long – many whose primary qualification was a million-dollar investment for a credit. Funding remained a scramble right up until weeks before the cameras were set to roll the previous fall. “Universal will distribute,” Berg explained, “but I have to deliver the finished product.” This passion project, “Lone Survivor,” had been five years in the making. “I’m a patriot,” he declared. “I deeply admire our military – their character, their code, their beliefs. I’ve lived alongside SEALs, with their families, attended their funerals. I’ve been to Iraq. Have you ever witnessed death firsthand? I have.” Berg is captivated by heroes – military, sports figures, and even, stemming from his own teenage years, the underdogs.
Berg’s directorial fee was the Directors Guild minimum – a modest $17,000 weekly. He’d also persuaded much of his crew and cast, including Taylor Kitsch and Mark Wahlberg, to accept reduced rates. This was a stark contrast to his previous movie, “Battleship,” intended as the 2012 summer blockbuster. Instead, it became one of the sci-fi genre’s most significant box office disappointments. “Battleship” faced issues from its very conception – attempting to adapt a board game into a cinematic experience. Berg recognized the looming trouble with “Battleship” even before its premiere. In a prior phone conversation, he’d admitted, “You should see it. It’s fun, but leave your brain at the door.”
Initially, “Lone Survivor” was meant to precede “Battleship,” but Universal requested a reversal. “I couldn’t resist that challenge,” Berg admitted. His confidence was buoyed by the success of “Hancock,” his earlier summer blockbuster starring Will Smith, which grossed over $600 million globally. After years of smaller-scale productions, “I felt I grasped the formula for a blockbuster,” he reflected. “I experienced the global reach of a film firsthand. But I underestimated Will Smith’s impact on ‘Hancock’s’ triumph. I thought I could replicate that with ‘Battleship,’ even without a major star.” The financial realities were stark. Nearly half of “Battleship’s” $200 million budget was consumed by special effects, spaceships, and alien creations. There simply wasn’t enough left to secure a star like Will Smith.
