Yesterday it was revealed Ron Howard was attached to direct Rush, a movie about 1970s F1 driver Nicki Lauda and his rivalry with James Hunt. Now it appears he’s got another movie up his sleeve, as Deadline reports that Warner Bros is developing a live action version of the MAD Magazine comic strip, Spy Vs. Spy, with Howard in the director’s chair.
The idea of a live-action Spy Vs. Spy movie has been around for a very long time, stretching all the way back into the 80s. The story will revolve around two competing spies who constantly try to outdo each other with brutal and severe consequences. It’s planned as a fast-paced action comedy. Also attached is screenwriter David Koepp, who won’t script it himself, but will oversee the development of a screenplay by John Kamps.
The real question though is what this means for The Dark Tower. Howard had seemed fixed on that, with grand plans for a several movies and a bridging TV series, but it is known Universal is very worried about the costs. Rewrites have been happening to bring the price down, and Howard and others have been intimating things are still moving forward for a shoot next year. However, if Ron is now signing up for other films, it doesn’t suggest he’s preparing himself in case Dark Tower implodes completely.
It’s not just these films either, as he’s been rumoured for a Frankenstein movie that Max Landis has recently been hired to write (although the backers of that have also been looking elsewhere, such as at Paul Greengrass and David Yates, presuming Howard would be too busy with Dark Tower).
Deadline says Howard is determined to make Dark Tower and will take it to other studios if Universal bail, but it does appear he’s getting his back-up plans ready.