Dennis Lehane is best known for writing novels, but having starred in the adaptation of the author’s novel Shutter Island, Leonardo DiCaprio has hired him to come up with the script for the crime drama Travis McGee, according to Variety.
Lehane will write the adapted screenplay, based on the 1964 John D. MacDonald novel The Deep Blue Good-By, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing the title character.
The official description of the novel says, “Travis McGee – He’s 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…”
This project will mark the first time that author/screenwriter Dennis Lehane has adapted another writer’s work, although he has written episodes of The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Castle. That said, the story of Travis McGhee is a good fit for the writer.