The real life story of the Essex and the ship’s assault by a magnificent whale will be recounted in “In the Heart of the Sea,” a new film coming to theaters March 13. The film, directed by Ron Howard, tells the story that inspired Herman Melville’s epic novel “Moby-Dick.”

Here’s more about “In the Heart of the Sea”:

“In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s ‘Moby-Dick.’ But that told only half the story. “In the Heart of the Sea” reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.”

“In the Heart of the Sea” is based on “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex,” the best-selling book by Nathaniel Philbrick and stars Chris Hemsworth, Benjamnin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw, Tom Holland, Brendan Gleeson and Jordi Mollá. The adapted screenplay is by Charles Leavitt from a story by Leavitt, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

Below is the trailer for the film. What do you think about “In the Heart of the Sea”? Give your opinions in the comments section below. You can learn more about the film at its official site, official Facebook and discuss the film on Twitter with hashtag #IntheHeartoftheSea.