Gerard Butler is in talks to star in Relativity Media's Hunter Killer, with Sam Worthington circling another role.

The project is based off George Wallace and Don Keith's novel, which follows an inexperienced U.S. submarine captain who teams up with a Navy SEALS unit on a mission to rescue the overthrown Russian president. They must also stop a rogue Russian general from igniting World War III. Gerard Butler is in discussions to play the submarine captain, Joe Glass, while Sam Worthington is being considered to play Bill Beaman, the Navy SEAL team leader.

Antoine Fuqua is directing Hunter Killer from a screenplay by Jamie Moss, Arne Schmidt, and John Kolvenbach. Relativity Media is currently eyeing a winter start date for Hunter Killer.