John Singleton Schedules A Directorial Layover

Not long ago we heard that John Singleton would be in full-on director for hire mode as head of the Taylor Lautner action thriller Abduction. Everybody's got to eat, right? And if Lautner really is going to be as huge as studio execs believe, that could buy a hell of a banquet for Singleton.

Now Singleton has a follow-up project set: another action thriller called Layover, which includes a group of villains that anyone who has flown in the past few years can be ready to hate: corrupt TSA agents.

Variety says the script, by Jay Longino and Michael Browning, is about " an ex-con whose family is kidnapped by a group of corrupt TSA agents while on a seven-hour layover." Sure, we've already seen "Die Hard in an airport," but that was pre-9/11 security. So: another take on a similar premise? Sure, why not?

Besides, it's easy to see how kidnappers disguised as transportation security agency guys could be the source of serious tension. Random screenings were never so nerve-wracking. Can't wait for the threat of a full body cavity search. Teaser trailers could just repeat a close-up of a rubber glove snapping on a TSA agent's hand, intercut with horrified close-ups of the lead actors, and maybe an explosion or two.

But Singleton...I wish I could have more confidence in his directorial hand. After Boyz n the Hood I've felt like I was struggling to like him. A couple efforts have come closer than others (Rosewood, Four Brothers) but I'm never really convinced. Between this and Abduction he's sort of carrying forward his mode from Four Brothers, and maybe these two movies will help him click into some sort of gear.