The Postman is a 1997 American epic post-apocalyptic adventure film produced and directed by Kevin Costner, who plays the lead role. The screenplay was written by Eric Roth and Brian Helgeland, based on David Brin's 1985 book of the same name. The film also features Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, James Russo, and Tom Petty. Set in a post-apocalyptic neo-Western United States in the then near-future year of 2013, the film follows an unnamed nomad who, after finding a United States Postal Service uniform, unwittingly sparks a movement to restore the United States that challenges the rule of a tyrannical warlord.