Submarine thriller 'Hunter Killer' to be filmed in Alaska port town of Whittier

A small Alaska port town will stand in as a Russian naval base in a new movie.

KTUU reports (http://is.gd/69SySi ) about 90 percent of the movie "Hunter Killer" will be filmed in Whittier.

Whittier officials said Friday that three months of pre-production will begin in January, followed by three months of filming.

The film is based on the 2012 novel "Firing Point" by George Wallace and Don Keith, about a standoff between American and Russian submarines.

Producers say Whittier was chosen because it resembles a Russian base. The town, with a population of 229, is located 30 miles southeast of Anchorage.

The cast hasn't been announced, but Martin Campbell will direct. His credits include "Casino Royale" and "Green Lantern."

The last major motion picture filmed in Alaska was "Frozen Ground," starring Nicolas Cage and John Cusack, in 2011.