Christopher McQuarrie is kind of an interesting figure, as he seemed to explode out of nowhere to win a Oscar for the screenplay for The Usual Suspects, but has never quite fully capitalised on that success. Well, he has in Hollywood, where he’s one of the highest paid script doctors around, brought in to bursh up screenplays in need of a magic touch, but his post-Suspects on-screen credits have been limited The Way Of The Gun and Valkyrie. He also directed 2000’s Way Of The Gun, but hasn’t stepped back into the directing chair since.
That said, he co-wrote The Tourist, starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, which is currently in production, and he’s also worked on Wolverine 2. Now THR reports that he’s been tapped by Paramount to write One Shot, based on the ninth book in a series of novels by Lee Child, which centre on Jack Reacher, a military police officer-turned-drifter. In this particular story a military sniper accused of murder seeks Reacher’s help.
The film was originally mooted as a possible vehicle for Tom Cruise, but while his production company remains attached, at the moment he isn’t likely to star.
While McQuarrie is currently lined up to write the screenplay, the deal with Paramount also gives him an option to direct the film. It seems that directing is where McQuarrie’s heart is, as his lack of on-screen credits is partly down to numerous projects he was lined up to helm, but which feel through.
Hopefully he’ll have a bit more luck with this one.