James Mangold has lined up a new directorial project today as Deadline reports that the 3:10 to Yuma and The Wolverine helmer is negotiating to tackle 20th Century Fox’s The Deep Blue Good-By, the first book in John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee mystery series. Published in 1964, it is officially described as follows:
Travis McGee is a self-described beach bum who won his houseboat in a card game. He’s also a knight-errant who’s wary of credit cards, retirement benefits, political parties, mortgages, and television. He only works when his cash runs out, and his rule is simple: He’ll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.
McGee isn’t particularly strapped for cash, but how can anyone say no to Cathy, a sweet backwoods girl who’s been tortured repeatedly by her manipulative ex-boyfriend Junior Allen? What Travis isn’t anticipating is just how many women Junior has torn apart and left in his wake. Enter Junior’s latest victim, Lois Atkinson.
Frail and broken, Lois can barely get out of bed when Travis finds her, let alone keep herself alive. But Travis turns into Mother McGee, giving Lois new life as he looks for the ruthless man who steals women’s spirits and livelihoods. But he can’t guess how violent his quest is soon to become. He’ll learn the hard way that there must be casualties in this game of cat and mouse.
The McGee series, which includes an additional 20 entries, is being eyed as a potential big-screen franchise for the studio. Leonardo DiCaprio, who is producing through Appian Way alongside Jennifer Davisson-Killoran, was planning to star at one point, but the outlet notes that that is no longer the case.
Dennis Lehane, the author responsible for novels like Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone and Shutter Island, has provided the most recent screenplay adaptation with earlier drafts having arrived from Kario Salem and Dana Stevens.
