Paramount have purchased rights to The Saint, which was previously a TV series with Roger Moore (pre-Bond) and a film in the 90s starring Val Kilmer.
Kilmer famously turned down a second outing as Batman to star in his own Mission Impossible type franchise, but reviews were not kind and he got just one film out of the deal.
However, the character has a borderline iconic recognisability, and studios can't get enough of that; all they have to do is put a decent creative team together and hopefully a semi-decent film comes out of the other side.
The main character is Simon Templar, a sharp and resourceful chap who goes after wrong sorts all over the globe. The book series was first published in 1928, so there's an obvious old school charm to it.
Paramount shit the bed a little on Jack Ryan, which didn't set the box-office alight but they do have Jack Reacher 2 due later this year. With the exception of Transformers they don't really have any sure things that will guarantee tills ringing. This could be it.
Guy Ritchie attempted a stylish, handsome big screen version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. that was graaaaand, but didn't do huge business. So we'd expect this one to be more Bourne/Bond/Ethan Hunt.
Michael Fassbender as Templar with Matthew Vaughn directing anyone?
Early days yet, but expect to hear about this one again soon.
Via Empire
