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Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch and Ben Foster are three of Hollywood's biggest badasses these days; just check out films like "The Fighter," "John Carter" and "The Mechanic" if you need proof. But are even these guys hardcore enough to play Navy SEALs?

Well, we may soon find out, as Deadline is reporting that the three are in talks to star as real life Navy SEALs in the upcoming action/drama "Lone Survivor."

Wonder what the guys from "Act of Valor" think about that?

"Act of Valor," of course, is currently the number one movie at the box office, thanks in part to the fact that it stars current, active duty Navy SEALs in some of the lead roles. And that success isn't incidental to "Lone Survivor," as the "Act of Valor's" surprisingly strong box office has apparently convinced Universal to get going on a project they've been sitting on for a while.

Though to hear director Peter Berg talk, there might have been an even bigger motivating factor in finally adapting the memoir by Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell: The death of Osama Bin Laden.

"Bin Laden’s death has cleared the way for this, a movie that will be an unapologetically patriotic film that honors and pays homage to an incredible group of badass guys who do this,” Berg told Deadline last year. “The film will be a bit like 'Black Hawk Down,' but it will focus on the quartet, which is fewer guys than that film.

“The mission was similar to the assassination mission that got bin Laden, but things got complicated when they ran into three kids and an old man,” Berg said. “Under the rules of engagement, they could have killed them, but they decided to let them go and take their chances, even though they knew these people would likely talk.”

Anything more would spoil the story for you, though chances are you can figure out what happened next from the title "Lone Survivor." So is even Wahlberg enough of a badass to play a real life Navy SEAL?

Hey, is anyone?

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After the action movie "Act of Valor" took in more than $24 million at the box office this past weekend, reports are pouring in that studios all over Hollywood are opening new divisions for soldiers and military advisers to pitch larger-than-life-adventures with an ultra-realistic edge.

Okay, that's not strictly true, but when a left-field contender comes in and triumphs at the box office, pundits and bean-counters are quick to examine why it did so well, and then how quickly and effectively that success can be re-created. The good thing about that kind of analysis is that we at NextMovie are geniuses, so we already know the five reasons it prevailed over more conventional or more commercially appealing material.

It Was Real

The teaser poster for "Act of Valor" reads, "A Motion Picture Starring Active Duty Navy Seals." While that's almost enough to get us into the theater sight unseen, it promises a lot that other films can't deliver: an immediate and believable depiction of modern-day warfare, at least within the context of a film being marketed as an adventure rather than a soul-stirring depiction of the horrors of the battlefield. What's great is that it can (and does) actually deliver both -- the "action" sequences are charged with an energy that's at once exciting and scary -- and in an era where so much moviemaking feels fantastical and intangible thanks to CGI and special-effects trickery, you can't put too high of a premium on trying to create the feeling that you as an audience member are there … and, more than that, pulling it off.

And just in case their saying it's real (or realistic) isn't enough, there are sequences in the film where the SEALs are literally taking fire from their adversaries (and vice versa). How anyone gave them permission to do so is beyond our understanding (we're so squeamish we hope that hangnails are created with CGI), but the fact that live ammunition was fired at the stars of a major movie is not just shockingly unexpected, it's incredibly cool as well.

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It Was Participatory (Sort of)

The Bandito Brothers studio has a long and distinguished reputation for stunt work, and its ability to create memorable, exciting sequences is virtually unparalleled within the industry. Combining that with technology that allows audiences to experience the action from the point of view of the men in the middle of it -- via helmet-mounted cameras -- gives several sequences the feeling that you're not just watching the game, but "playing" it. First-person-shooter video games are themselves more popular than ever these days, and that perspective immediately and easily recalls your own experiences with a controller, watching the action unfold before you as you aim your weapon and take out a foe with a well-placed shot.

It Was Well-Marketed

Based on the theatrical trailer and TV ads for the film, the folks behind the film's marketing campaign made some shrewd decisions. First, they put the film's reality-based bona fides front and center, highlighting the performances and contributions from active-duty Navy SEALs. Second, they said that the film was a fictional story. While the two efforts might seem contradictory, they actually give the audience permission to enjoy it as an adventure as opposed to trudging through a reality (or even "reality") in which they're confronted by depressing horrors. And third, they actually showed the stuff that people will get to see in the film, including some bad-ass action, secretive operations, first-person points of view, and a dramatic edge that, well, may or may not have been fully successful. For people who want to engage in this sort of adventure, "Act of Valor" is from start to finish a total package.

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It Had a Great Real-World Lead-In

Ten years after George W. Bush promised to apprehend Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 tragedy, a group of Navy SEALs raided the terrorist leader's compound and delivered his body to Bush's successor, President Obama. While the news certainly galvanized support for Obama, it made the SEALs into heroes overnight ... well, moreso than they already were, anyway.

The 1990 film "Navy Seals" featured a title card indicating that the organization was in fact a secret, and consequently its exploits were either classified or simply protected from the eyes of the American public. With Obama's announcement that bin Laden was dead, the SEAL team members went from black ops to front page, and their status as national heroes was publicly secured. And even though "Act of Valor" started as a Navy recruitment film, its transformation into a fictional account of some real events is bolstered by the fact that the SEALs were in the news, and with relatively little known about them. "Act of Valor" became an honorarium that took what they did off of the printed page and put it up on the silver screen.

Also Check Out: Winning the Box Office Is an "Act of Valor"

It's a Very Entertaining Movie

While all of these other reasons certainly justify why somebody would want to see "Act of Valor," the bottom line is that it isn't going to succeed -- even from a Friday to a Saturday -- unless the movie is actually engaging. And it is: Directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh create a story that they insist is fictional, but it has a ripped-from-the-headlines vibe that gives the adventure an intriguing plausibility because one believes that it could happen. Even though the SEALs may lack a bit of gravitas as actors, they manage at least to make the action sequences exciting, and, even if it's only verbally, to highlight soldiers' sacrifices in being away from their friends and families, risking their lives for their country.

The storytelling itself, meanwhile, is conventional but effective. McCoy and Waugh manage to build suspense by depicting the horrors of modern warfare but not being excessively graphic (making those few really graphic moments even more shocking), and then escalating the scale of the action to a fever pitch by the time the audience is watching the final sequences unfold. It may not be a "great" movie, or one destined to last more than a week or two at the box office, but in short, it is a great time at the movies -- exciting, scary, compelling, and occasionally even fun – and everybody wants to experience that.

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Reality programming has dominated television ratings for the last decade, so it should be no surprise that reality has just taken over the box office as well, with "Act of Valor" winning the top spot over the weekend according to Hollywood.com.

Starring real life, active duty Navy SEALs, "Act of Valor" earned $24.7 million, easily beating out the $16 million of second place finisher "Tyler Perry's Good Deeds."

For the full box office report, including returning hits "Safe House," "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" and "The Vow," head to Hollywood.com. Because it's time for the box office to stop being polite and start being real.

Lyric Hammersmith

Jamie Blackley, the 20-year-old heartthrob who got his start in London's production of "Spring Awakening," just nabbed another major break — the lead role in Noam Murro's '300' sequel, aptly titled "300: Battle of Artemisia."

Like its predecessor, the sequel anchors its plot in a war setting. Penned by "Act of Valor" scribe Kurt Johnstad, the story follows Calisto (Blackley), a teen whose desire to become the heroic man/ soldier his father was leads the 16-year-old (so they're shaving off a few years—we won't judge) to become the leader of a small band of soldiers.

No word yet on what this "band" of soldiers' agenda exactly is, but something tells us it might not be totally honorable.

According to Deadline, Blackley joins Sullivan Stapleton, the blue-eyed thesp of "Animal Kingdom" fame who snapped up another lead role in this next "300" installment just last week. Though not many other details are yet known, with these two class acts on board, we don't need much other convincing.

Blackley will next star opposite Kate Bosworth in the domestic drama "While We Were Here," but dont' worry, this war flick is currently slated for a 2013 release-- which means it shan't be too long before he picks up a weapon and start becoming a war hero (or something).

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While our boys are out there making the world safe for democracy, we here on the home front have our own job to do.

As the saying goes, they also serve who only stand and wait, but if you're going to be just waiting around, why not do it while sporting some of the sweet "Act of Valor" swag we're giving away?

You might even say entering our "Act of Valor" giveaway is your patriotic duty.

In case you aren't sure what we're talking about, here's a quick sitrep for you: Hitting theaters on Feb. 24, "Act of Valor" is a high octane action thriller that follows a group of real Navy SEALs as they attempt to prevent bad guys from messing up the world. But since "Act of Valor" stars actual, honest to god, current active duty Navy SEALs, the action is so real it makes Tom Clancy look like Dr. Seuss.

Which is fitting because as part of the prize pack one lucky fan will receive, we're giving away the new "Tom Clancy Presents Act of Valor" book along with an "Act of Valor" t-shirt, backpack, water bottle and, oh yeah, a $150 gift card from Nike.

Surfing the internet and watching movies may not be an act of valor, but thanks to our new giveaway, it sure is an act of awesome. Do your country proud — and sign up today.

To enter, just shoot us an email at NextMovie@MTV.com and include your name, address, birthdate and be sure to copy and paste the following statement:

"By sending this email, I accept and agree to: (1) the Official Rules of the 'Act of Valor' Giveaway and (2) MTV Networks’, a division of Viacom International Inc., Nextmovie.com Terms of Use and Privacy Policy."

The contest runs from now until 4 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 27, 2012. Entrants must be at least 13 years old and reside in the U.S. Click here for complete rules and further details.

As an added bonus, all entrants will be signed up for the fun and useful UpNext newsletter. As an UpNext subscriber, you'll receive daily updates on the hottest releases, events and merch from the world of movies.

Check out this "Making of 'Act of Valor' Clip!