While Jared Leto was reportedly circling last year to star in the movie adaptation of Valiant Comics title Bloodshot, the project has apparently decided to look elsewhere for its leading man and, according to The Wrap, one Vin Diesel is now in talks.
Originally created by Kevin Van Hook, Yvel Guichet, Don Perlin and Bob Layton in 1992, Bloodshot follows Angelo Mortalli, a former mob hit man double-crossed by the family and framed for murder. Taken into witness protection, he’s betrayed again, this time by the FBI agent who was assigned to guard him, and kidnapped as part of a secret government program. His mind is wiped clean (so they think) and he’s infused with nanites to turn him into a super soldier with inhuman strength and healing ability.
Of course, something goes a bit wrong and he escapes. With just fragments of his memories remaining, he goes looking for those who wronged him and tries to figure out exactly who he is… The plan is for the movie to spawn at least one sequel and eventually lead to a crossover with the Harbinger series, itself still in development.
If he does spill ink on the dotted line, Diesel would be reuniting with Fast & Furious franchise producer Neal Moritz, who is backing this one. Arrival's Eric Heisserer is on script duty, and though several directors have flirted with the idea of making this first planned film (including John Wick duo David Leitch and Chad Stahelski), there is no name currently attached.
Diesel will next be heard as Groot in Avengers: Infinity War, which invades our cinemas on 27 April. Then there are the continuing Fast films, with the next due in 2020.