Universal are planning in shooting the movie next Summer, when star Ryan Reynolds, has the time out of his busy schedule. However, the studio are apparently hoping to find a director a lot sooner in order to get started on pre-production. Last week, it was reported that McG (Terminator Salvation) was going to helm the project but he then declined.
Now, according to 24 Frames, director Robert Schwentke has met with the studio and is now the front runner for the job. Schwentke's next project is of course another comic book adaptation in the form of Red starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren among others. According to the site, "The buzz surrounding that project — following the revelation of a crazy fun trailer — has reportedly helped his chances at Universal."
Here is the synopsis for the Dark Horse series:
"Welcome to the Rest In Peace Department — the devoted, yet dead, officers of divine law enforcement “patrolling the deadbeat...reporting to one boss.” Yep — THAT boss. Nick Cruz was murdered by an unknown assailent, at the height of his personal and professional life. Now he’s traded a hundred years of service to the R.I.P.D. in exchange for a shot at finding who killed him. Unfortunately his search will take him to Hell and back — literally!"
Along with how producer Neal Moritz recently described the upcoming adaptation:
"It’s about two cops, one recently dead and a gunslinger who’s been dead for hundreds of years who work on the Rest in Peace department – which is the police department of the dead. And they basically...it takes place on a normal day and it’s about trying to keep the dead quiet."