Many people don’t know this but the classic novel, Moby Dick, was actually based on the real story of the New England whaling ship Essex. Now, Ron Howard is bringing the original, harrowing tale to life it what looks like it could be shaping up to be a truly intense film.

The movie is set for a March 13, 2015 release and stars Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Tom Holland, Brendon Gleeson, Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw, and Jordi Molla.

Official Synopsis:
In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. “Heart of the Sea” reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.