Paul Greengrass to direct 'Ness' based on graphic novel

Image from Collider

By Paul Greengrass

            One director that really likes to take some time between films is Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum, Captain Phillips). The Oscar-nominated filmmaker has taken 3 years between movies for his last four efforts with his last movie coming last year with the disappointing, Jason Bourne. Deadline reports however that he’s found his next project and will direct Ness based on a graphic novel by the name of Torso by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko.

            Ness could be a potential franchise starter for Paramount and will follow the life of Eliot Ness, who led a team of agents during the Prohibition era, known as The Untouchables and took down crime lord, Al Capone. Greengrass is no stranger to franchises as he directed three of the five Bourne films that together grossed over $1 billion worldwide. This also isn’t the first time we’ll see Ness being portrayed on screen as Kevin Costner played him in the 1987 film, The Untouchables directed by Brian De Palma. With this version being based on a graphic novel though, it adds a different interpretation than the book that the 1987 film was based off.

            Greengrass has plenty of other films in development at the moment but it seems that Paramount is pushing for Ness to get a fall start so we’ll see just how quickly it comes together. He’s also been developing a Jimi Hendrix biopic as well as a film based on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final days before his death but currently has no projects in any stage of production.