Randall Wallace to Direct HEAVEN IS REAL

Movie by Joey Paur

We Were Soldiers and Secretariat director Randall Wallce is set to develop a faith-based drama for Sony Pictures called Heaven is Real. The movie is based on a book written by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, called Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

This is definitely a different kind of film for Wallace who also wrote Braveheart and Pearl Harbor, the latter of which wasn't his best work. The book tells the true story behind Burpo's son's near-death experience and subsequent claim that he visited heaven. His family and the members of his small town do not believe him until his stories identify people who have passed away.

I can see a movie like this being a big hit. It's based on a true story, it's interesting, and there's an epic faith-based market out there for this kind of film. The book is being adapted into a script by Christopher Parker (Battle of the Year) and Wallace will direct. He's also set to direct a WWII movie called The Conscientious Objector, and is currently writing an action-adventure film called Gunslinger for Vince Vaughn.

I like most of the films Wallace has made, I really liked Secretariat, that ended up being a lot better than I thought it would be. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. What do you think of Wallace directing this movie, and do you think the story will make for a good movie?

Here's the description of the book:

A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven.

Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

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