Less than a week after the news that Gary Ross would be writing and directing a Venom spin-off for Columbia and Marvel, comes a story from The Playlist that before that, Ross will be picking up the reigns to Matt Helm from Steven Spielberg.
As previously reported, Matt Helm is an American "counter-agent" from a 27-strong series of novels by Donald Hamilton. He's been filmed before, as a series of Bond-spoofing campfests starring Dean Martin that directly influenced Mike Myers when he came to make Austin Powers. But this new film, scripted by Paul Attaniasio (the first in a projected franchise, natch), aims to take Helm back to source for some Bourne-type action and grit.
Cast-wise, we can apparently expect Bradley Cooper, very sensibly striking while the iron's hot and grabbing his own series, although nothing's actually been signed yet.
Spielberg developed the project at Paramount before the split with Dreamworks, and for a while it looked as if he might direct, before he plumped for Harvey the giant rabbit instead. He'll stay on as producer (along with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci) and shooting, if all goes to plan, will start in summer 2010.