Daniel Craig In Talks To Star In Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens

favreau_no-downey_cowboys_aliens

A couple days ago it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. dropped out of the big screen adaptation of the graphic novel Cowboys & Aliens, being directed by Iron Man director Jon Favreau. Collider has learned that Bond star Daniel Craig is in talks to joint the project, which has been in development for the last ten years (even though the comic book was only released a couple years go, it was pitched for years before it was ever actually written). No deal is yet in place, so nothing is final, but we've heard that Favreau wants to shoot the film this Summer (July has been mentioned in past reports), possibly in 3D. If Bond 23 goes into production, that production start probably won't be possible.

I'm not sure I like the idea of a Brit playing an American cowboy, but I know that Craig could pull it off. Also, going from Downey to Craig leads me to believe that the comedy quotant will be lowered a bit. More information on the project, after the jump.

I haven't read the book, but I will admit that the title alone makes it worthy of a big screen movie. Written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley, the story takes place in the Old West, where "settlers and Native Americans wage a bloody battle for control of the land. But when the Earth is threatened by conquerors from the stars, these sworn enemies must work together to save all humanity." Downey Jr would play a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson. You can read the entire graphic novel for free online on drunkduck.com or check out the teaser trailer for the comic book below.

[flv:http://bitcast-a.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/trailers/cowboysaliensteaser.flv 470 264]

The latest screenplay was written by Star Trek scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, alongside Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof. Iron Man and Children of Men scribes Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus had worked on a previous draft.

cowboys and aliens

cowboys and aliens