Johnson eyes Ludlum adaptation…
Dwayne Johnson (‘The Fast and Furious,’ ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation ‘) has reportedly entered into talks to produce and star in an adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s ‘The Janson Directive’ for Universal Pictures.
Published in 2002, the book is officially described as follows:
“When billionaire philanthropist Peter Novak is kidnapped by a terrorist known as The Caliph, it’s up to Paul Janson—a legend in the notorious U.S. covert agency Consular Operations—to save him. But Janson’s rescue operation goes horribly wrong…and soon Janson is marked for death, the target of a “beyond salvage” order issued from the highest level of the government. Now Janson is running for his life, pursued by Jessica Kincaid, a young agent of astonishing ability who can anticipate and counter his every move. To survive, Janson must outrace a conspiracy that has gone beyond the control of its originators. To win, he must counter it with a conspiracy of his own…”
The project is currently out to writers, and according to reports, the studio is eyeing it as a potential Jason Bourne-esque franchise.