James Mangold To Direct 'The Gunslinger'

Briefly: James Mangold's last film before this year's Knight and Day was the Western remake 3:10 to Yuma, and now he's going back to the genre with revenge thriller The Gunslinger. Warner Bros. bought John Hlavin's spec script in 2009, but put it into turnaround and New Regency is snapping it up, with producers set to further develop it for Mr. Mangold. There won't be too much additional development, though, as a spring start is on the calendar.

The story is called "a contemporary Western, centering on an ex-Texas Ranger who sets out to punish the men who killed his brother." No casting is announced at this point. [THR]