After the insane success of American Sniper, a lot of people have been wondering what Clint Eastwood might choose as his follow-up project. There was speculation a few months ago that he might take on the Richard Jewell film American Nightmare, about the heroic security guard who found a suspicious backpack at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta only to be vilified as a possible terrorist. However, it turns out his next project will focus on the story of a different American hero instead: Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who pulled off an emergency landing on the Hudson River back in 2009, saving 155 lives. While some had pegged Eastwood to direct and star, this week we are hearing that Tom Hanks will take on the lead role instead. Hit the jump for more details.

According to Deadline, Tom Hanks is in negotiations with Warner Brothers to star in an as-of-yet untitled film about Captain “Sully” Sullenberger and the so-called Miracle on the Hudson. Clint Eastwood will direct from a script by Todd Komarnicki (Perfect Stranger), based on Sully’s own book Highest Duty: My Search For What Really Matters. Frank Marshall is producing the film after acquiring the rights to the book back in 2010. The movie will supposedly “go beyond Sullenberger’s almost impossible and much-heralded achievement of safely landing a jumbo jet on the water.”

Obviously Tom Hanks seems like a perfect choice to play Sully, but that’s kind of the problem… he’s almost too perfect. He just played another heroic captain a couple of years ago for Paul Greengrass in Captain Phillips. Either way, it’s easy to see how Clint Eastwood might have another hit on his hands here. The release date for the film is still TBA; Hanks is currently in the process of shooting The Da Vinci Code sequel Inferno with Ron Howard. Are you looking forward to a Miracle on the Hudson movie from Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks?