Battleship the Movie?

This sounds... uh, interesting?

Universal has set July 1, 2011, for the release of "Battleship," confirming Peter Berg as helmer of the live-action pic based on Hasbro's naval combat board game.

"This is a powerful brand, and in an era where brands have become the new stars, 'Battleship' is a big opportunity," said U Pictures chairmen Marc Shmuger and David Linde.

For Berg, the picture realizes a passion for ship-bound war stories that he picked up from his naval historian father.

"I've been consumed with doing one of these since I tried to convince Tom Rothman at Fox to make a film about John Paul Jones, the founder of the American Navy," Berg said. "As a kid, I was dragged from Navy museum to museum, and spent so much time on ships, listening to my father talk about the great battles of WWII, I did my high school thesis on the Battle of Midway. When this came up, it didn't take me long to find a take for a film that is filled with raucous action-packed naval battles."

Berg called the pic "a contemporary story of an international five-ship fleet engaged in a very dynamic, violent and intense battle" -- but he would not disclose any details about the enemy force.

The film will be the next directorial assignment for Berg, who last helmed "Hancock."

The mind boggles. A couple of thoughts....

• Battleship isn't exactly the most plot heavy boardgame out there; I'm curious about what kind of story they're going to use to link together the maritime battle scenes.
• "International five-ship fleet" sounds kind of twitchy, touchy feeley. I'm guessing that this isn't going to involve a thoughtful examination of the concepts set forth in the Cooperative Maritime Strategy.
• I wonder whether the "five ship fleet" will hold to the Battleship game pieces, and what that will mean in terms of ship models if it does. While Galrahn understands that an Arleigh Burke is a Battleship, I have my doubts that Hollywood will have the same sophistication. And if a DDG-51 were a Battleship, what vessels would play the role of Destroyer and Cruiser?
• In a related issue, will the film use actual ship models, or invent new types of vessel? If it's an international flotilla, I admit that I wouldn't mind seeing a Type 45 and a Sejong the Great...
• Who's the enemy? Battleship is the definition of symmetric naval warfare, so I doubt that pirates are going to be the focus. The Chinese? The Russians at least have a legitimate selection of the appropriate ship types, but the idea "international" fleet makes me suspect that the producers are going to be wary of offending anyone. Cobra, maybe?
• What will be the role of the USN in production and filming? This relates the question of what ship models will be featured; filming on a DDG-51 or an LCS would present, I think, a PR opportunity for the Navy.

In all likelihood, the film will be terrible. However, it would be nice if it made some money, and if at least some young moviegoers left the theater able to distinguish between and LCS and an Arleigh Burke.