Brian De Palma's 1987 crime thriller, The Untouchables, is a longtime favorite for almost any cinephile who loves a good Prohibition era flick. There was even a television show that transpired in the U.S. back in the 1990s that I liked, both inspired by the 1957 book of the same name, and interestingly, other artists and authors have taken its foremost character and even advanced his story even further.
Thus, it now appears that Paramount Pictures is back and reviving the character once more according to a new report at Deadline with word of the new film, Ness. Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential) is reteaming with Bourne franchise helmer (a la Supremacy) Paul Greengrass for a story that updates our title lawman's tale, taking cues from the Image Comics 1998/99 publication, Torso, by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko.
Torso tells the story of the real life "Torso Murderer", a serial killer who was active during 1934 to 1938. He received his nickname because he left only the torsos of his victims. Without fingerprints or dental records, these victims were very difficult to identify in a time before DNA testing. The investigator on the case was Eliot Ness, Cleveland Safety Director and former head of the Untouchables.
A Fall production start is being eyed with the hopes of launching a new franchise at Paramount. John Davis will produce at Davis Entertainment with Greengrass along with Greg Goodman and John Fox, and with David Engel from Circle of Confusion. Bendis and Andreyko will seve as executive producers.
Greengrass directed the latter three of a quartet of Bourne titles from Universal Pictures each starring Matt Damon up to last year's Jason Bourne with the franchise. Each of those films have been a success thusfar with the latest grossing over $415 million dollars globally, which is nice and all but for heaven's sakes, can we please not be a dick about the action scenes should there be any? My eyes are still hurting thinking about that film so let's not do that to moviegoers again please. Thanks.
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