Liam Hemsworth
Liam Hemsworth Reuters

Director Phillip Noyce may be bringing the story of Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency contractor who leaked secrets about U.S. data-gathering, to the big screen.

The "Salt" and "Patriot Games" director tells Digital Spy Snowden's tale intrigues him since it is "a movie that's playing out before our eyes, even though we can't see anything."

At last word, Snowden is still stranded in the Moscow airport, seeking asylum anywhere he can get it. According to CNN.com, he has requested asylum from 21 countries with three so far denying his requests -- Brazil, India and Poland. Another 11 countries have told the whistle-blower that he must show up at one of their embassies or their borders for them to be able to consider his request.

"We can't see the hero or the villain - the central character," Noyce told NBC News. "Like my last big movie, 'Salt,' it's a story where you're not quite certain if you're dealing with a heroine or a villain. And we may not be certain until the end of the movie or even beyond that.

"That's a beautiful duality to deal with when you're making a story or watching a movie. You can speculate he's motivated by complete unselfish motives through belief in protecting worldwide public interests. Or you can speculate he was himself a victim of knowing that notoriety might bring him immortality."

Noyce also shared that he would be interested in casting Liam Hemsworth of "The Hunger Games" as Snowden in the film.

"He's perfectly positioned as a rising star," the filmmaker said of his fellow Australian. "I think he'll probably be one of the great ones. His older brother, Chris, could also play him, but Liam looks more like an everyman. I think he'd be perfect."

Noyce has already formed some for the film's storyline, saying that it would begin with The Guardian revealing that Snowden was the leaker and would also feature an appearance from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

"We'd have this wonderful Harold Lloyd comedy sequence which is the best part of the movie - the chase," he said. "In this case, it's a chase that's both funny and serious. It involves some of the highest officials in the world, and their different points of view while Mr. Snowden is holed up presumably at the Moscow Airport."

"That's a great sequence as world leaders argue over this 29-year-old and the merits or otherwise of his actions." Snowden actually turned 30 on June 21.