“Casino Royale” director Martin Campbell is in early talks to direct the espionage thriller “Hunter Killer” for Relativity, multiple individuals familiar with the project have told TheWrap.
“Hunter Killer” finds a renegade Russian military leader pushing the U.S. to the brink of a nuclear confrontation and shattering a decades-old peace agreement between the two former enemies. Cut off from all outside communication, a submarine commander and an elite Navy special forces unit are all that stand between the Russian assault and all-out war.
Also read: ‘Darkness’ Director: I Worked With the Real Mel Gibson
Once official negotiations commence, Campbell will be the latest high-profile action filmmaker to come aboard “Hunter Killer” following Antoine Fuqua, Phillip Noyce, McG and most recently, “Into the Storm” director Steven Quale.
Based on the novel “Firing Point” by George Wallace and Don Keith, “Hunter Killer” was written by Jamie Moss (“X-Men: First Class), John Kolvenbach and Arne Schmidt.
Also read: Relativity Launching Specialty Division to Be Run by Robbie Brenner
Campbell hasn’t directed a movie since 2011’s “Green Lantern,” which underperformed at the box office despite grossing nearly $220 million worldwide. However, comic book fans’ disappointment can be attributed to a variety of factors ranging from casting to the script, which was written by a quartet that did not include Campbell.
In fact, Campbell is responsible for reinvigorating the James Bond franchise twice with “Goldeneye” and “Casino Royale,” and he also directed a pair of successful “Zorro” movies starring Antonio Banderas.
Campbell is represented by CAA and attorney Ken Richman of Hansen, Jacobson.