Steve Martin Gets "Billy Lynn's" Game Ticket

Deadline reports that Steve Martin is set to join the cast of "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk," a film adaptation of author Ben Fountain's acclaimed Iraq War novel.

 The dark satire follows a ninteen-year-old Texas-born infantry man (newcomer Joe Alwyn) and his fellow U.S. servicemen who survive a firefight in Iraq in 2005. The Bush administration brings them home for a victory lap that leads them to the Dallas Cowboys’ football stadium where they're honored during the team's Thanksgiving halftime show. Then they return to war.

Alwyn comes out of nowhere beating Billy Howle Taron Egerton, Joe Cole and Jack Reynor for the part. No official offer has apparently been made--Alwyn rose to the top last week. He scored final approval from both the studio and director this past weekend, and this marks his first major role in a feature film.

 Garrett Hedlund is eyed to to take the film's second male lead.

Simon Beaufoy ("Slumdog Millionaire") has written the adapted script from which "Life of Pi" and "Brokeback Mountain" director Ang Lee is calling the shots.

Simon Cornwell, Stephen Cornwell and Rhodri Thomas are slated to produce. 
 
Production begins in April.