I feel conflicted myself about the battle of the killing-Osama movies — John Stockwell‘s Code Name Geronimo, which the Weinstein Co. is apparently intending to distribute come September or October, and Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal‘s Zero Dark Thirty, which Sony will release in December.

I’m naturally expecting the Biggy-Boal to be the definitive version, given my expectation of Hurt Locker-ish chops (i.e., Anxiety City, you-are-there verismilitude) and Boal’s years-long investigation into the Bin Laden hunt. But I’ve been rooting for the talented Stockwell (crazy/beautiful) to climb out of the escapist youth-flick hole that he fell into after directing the very fine Blue Crush.

The Geronimo deal was reported yesterday by L.A. Times reporter Steven Zeitchik.

Zeitchik reports that Code Name Geronimo is being produced by Voltage Pictures, whose chief Nicholas Chartier won an Oscar as one of the Hurt Locker producers but who was barred from the ceremony because of somewhat icky campaign tactics.

He also reminds that Zero Dark Thirty is being produced by Megan Ellison, who is also affiliated with the Weinstein Co’s Killing Them Softly, The Master and Lawless, which will also be released this fall.