Reality-based films on Lionsgate Play

Sometimes, the most gripping stories aren’t works of fiction. They’re found in real-life dramas made even more terrifying because they can happen to anyone. Lionsgate Play’s collection of films based on true events unfolds with heart-pounding intensity, from catastrophic disasters to political intrigue. Indeed, truth is stranger than fiction.

‘Deepwater Horizon’

This 2016 film directed by Peter Berg is a gripping dramatization of the catastrophic 2010 oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. It follows the harrowing ordeal of chief electronics technician Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) as he and his team fight for survival amidst the inferno.

‘The Impossible’

What was supposed to be the Belon family’s idyllic Christmas holiday at a Thailand resort is abruptly shattered by the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. As the powerful waves sweep everything in sight, the family is torn apart, left to survive amidst the chaos. Their desperate struggle to reunite is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy. The 2014 film stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.

‘Hotel Mumbai’

“Hotel Mumbai” is a dramatic retelling of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The 2018 film recreates the horrific siege of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Against this backdrop of chaos, hotel waiter Arjun (Dev Patel) emerges as a hero, risking his life to protect terrified guests.

‘7 Days in Entebbe’

The gripping 2018 thriller recounts the dramatic 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight. Diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, the aircraft becomes a hostage crisis when four terrorists, including Germans Brigitte Kuhlmann (Rosamund Pike) and Wilfried Böse (Daniel Bruhl), seize control, demanding the release of imprisoned militants.

‘Fair Game’

This 2010 political thriller is based on the true story of undercover CIA operative Valerie Palme (Naomi Watts). The film follows the ensuing fallout after Valerie’s husband, Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), publicly criticizes the Bush administration’s claims about Iraq. To discredit Wilson, Palme’s identity is exposed by a politically motivated press leak, shattering her career and jeopardizing her family’s safety.