Columbia Pictures has acquired US rights to Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal’s film about the black ops mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.

Bigelow (pictured) and Boal, director and screenwriter respectively of Best Picture Oscar-winner The Hurt Locker, had already been developing the project for several years when Bin Laden was killed three weeks ago by US forces. Now, according to a Columbia statement, they “plan to incorporate recent events into the film.”

The statement said production of the film is due to start in late summer this year, with a US release expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Boal and Bigelow will produce the as yet untitled film along with Megan Ellison of Annapurna Pictures, which is financing the project. Greg Shapiro will executive produce.

Commenting on the announcement, Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Any Pascal said: “With the death of Osama bin Laden, this film could not be more relevant. Kathryn and Mark have an outstanding perspective on the team that was hunting the most wanted man in the world. . Mark is second to none as an investigative journalist, and Kathryn will bring the same kind of compelling authenticity and urgency that distinguished The Hurt Locker and made that film so memorable and special.”