EXCLUSIVE: Showtime has picked up a Drake-exec produced feature documentary about U.S. military veterans and Mexican drug cartels from eOne, David Ayer’s and Chris Long’s Cedar Park.
Ready for War examines the cause and effect of deporting U.S. military veterans and their forced recruitment by Mexican drug cartels. It is produced by Cedar Park, Kerstin Emhoff and Candice Dragonas’ Prettybird and Drake and Adel Nur’s Dreamcrew. The premium cable network has acquired worldwide rights via Showtime Documentary Films.
Created by director Andrew Renzi and Nick Boak, Ready for War explores the issues of post-military service, including PTSD, drug abuse and crime convictions for combat veterans, as well as the larger ramifications for immigrant soldiers. The series details the differences native-born U.S. and immigrant soldiers face when convicted of a crime — and the fight for the majority of immigrant soldiers who are sent to Mexico as they attempt to get back home. While some are successful, others succumb to violent threats of drug cartels.
It explores the phenomenon of deported United States military veterans. This documentary follows three green card holding soldiers at various stages in this process: one in Tijuana fighting to come home to American soil and reunite with his family; another in ICE detention fighting deportation; and a third, lost in the clutches of a drug cartel in Ciudad Juarez, waging a war that was never meant to be his own.
The project is executive produced by Ayer, Long, Renzi, Boak, rapper Drake, his manager Adel “Future” Nur, Emhoff, Dragonas and Tara Long and Showtime’s Vinnie Malhotra. Anthony Gonzales and Jason Shrier will serve as producers.. Renzi is repped by WME and Linda Lichter. Ayer and Cedar Park are repped by CAA.
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