By Marc Graser, Pamela McClintock
May 20, 2007
Jieho Lee is in negotiations to direct Lionsgate’s “Kane and Lynch,” an actioner based on the upcoming videogame by Eidos Interactive.
Company is fast-tracking the project, with hopes of shooting sometime in the fall using one of two scripts — from either Kyle Ward or Lee and Bob DeRosa — that are being penned at the same time.
Plot of the pic will mimic that of the game, which hits retail in the fall. Mercenary Kane and medicated psychopath Lynch meet while being transported to death row and team to seek revenge on a shadowy organization for which Kane once worked.
Game is published by Eidos (“Tomb Raider”) and produced by IO Interactive, creator of the popular “Hitman” franchise.
Lee most recently helmed drama “The Air I Breathe,” which he co-wrote with DeRosa. Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kevin Bacon and Emile Hirsch star.
Ward, a former assistant at DreamWorks, sold his first script, “Fiasco Heights,” to Universal last month, with Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes banner attached to produce.
Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter will produce “Kane and Lynch,” with Howard Sun co-producing. Askarieh and Alter are in production on the feature adaptation of “Hitman,” which Fox will release in October.
The duo also have “Hack/Slash” and “Lost Squad,” based on the Devil’s Due Publishing comicbooks, set up at Rogue Pictures. Askarieh is also producing “Spy Hunter” at Universal, based on Midway’s popular vidgame.
Lee, DeRosa and Ward are repped by UTA, Endeavor and CAA, respectively. Lee is additionally repped by attorney Rob Szymanski.