EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures just completed an option on House to House, the memoir of U.S. Army staff sergeant David Bellavia’s harrowing experience in the Second Battle Of Fallujah. The studio, which bought it for Imagine Entertainment, knew just the writer who’d bring an inherent understanding of the subject matter. Universal has set Max Adams, who just turned in a draft to the studio of The Risk Agent, a thriller vehicle for Vince Vaughn. Adams also spent 11 years serving his country in the U.S. Army, an enlisted M-3 Gustav gunner and team leader in the 1st Ranger Battalion who as a young lieutenant led soldiers in combat during the initial ground invasion of the Iraq War. He was discharged in 2006 and just produced the Robert De Niro-starrer Bus 657, and produced and directed the Bruce Willis starrer Precious Cargo.

Imagine’s Brian Grazer is producing, and Rich Middlemas is also attached to produce. Latter was producer of the Oscar-winning docu Undefeated. In House to House–which Bellavia wrote with John R. Bruning–Bellavia tells of his experiences leading his blue collar front line forces into the intense urban combat against zealous insurgents in the Second Battle of Fallujah. Bellavia was part of a campaign that took the heavily fortified, booby-trapped city and ultimately earned himself a nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Imagine’s Erica Huggins and Alexandre Dauman are overseeing the project with Universal’s Jon Mone and Jay Polidoro. Adams is represented by Paradigm, Zero Gravity’s Eric Williams and attorney Marios Rush; Bellavia by Hornfischer Literary Management’s Jim Hornfischer and attorney Steve Younger.