Tom Hanks to portray kidnapped captain

(AFP PHOTO / Robyn Beck)

Tom Hanks is set to play Captain Richard Phillip, who handed himself over to Somali pirates in an effort to save his cargo ship's crew.

The company that produced The Social Network will adapt Phillips' memoir A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The story follows Phillips, who is rescued after three days being held hostage, when Navy SEALs release him from his captors. Screenwriter Billy Ray ( State of Play) was said to be working on a script.

Hanks will next be seen in theaters in Larry Crowne, which opens July 1. He is currently in production on Stephen Daldry's adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. He's also signed on for Kathryn Bigelow's Triple Frontier.

RC