The Wachowskis Writing And Set To Direct 'Hood,' A Modern Robin Hood Tale

Andy and Lana Wachowski have been mulling a couple of possible directorial projects, chief among them their 'hard-R gay Iraq War love story' Cobalt Neural 9, and an adaptation of David Mitchell's novel Cloud Atlas.

Now they'll reportedly do something completely different: Hood, "a modern, urban" version of the Robin Hood story.

THR reports the deal, saying they've written the script and will direct for Warner Bros. with Joel Silver (The Matrix, Speed Racer) once again producing. No one is cast yet, but actors including Will Smith have reportedly been contacted. That's all the detail we've got.

I know that CN-9 was slow to find funding, but the idea that the siblings would adapt Cloud Atlas seemed a lot more promising than any new version of Robin Hood. This is unquestionably a far more easily marketable movie than Cloud Atlas would be, especially if they get a name like Will Smith.

But really? A new Robin Hood? Comparing this to the recent Ridley Scott movie with Russell Crowe is likely pointless, but without knowing any more details, this sounds at best like a 'wait and see' situation rather than an interesting project. And the title plus the 'urban' setting...it almost seems like a joke. Is this what the critical and financial failure of Speed Racer hath wrought?

And what of Cloud Atlas? When that was first announced we heard that Tom Tykwer was writing and would possibly direct. If he ends up directing the movie, I'd be quite happy. But would the attached cast (Tom Hanks, Natalie Portman, Halle Berry) stick around?

[image of the Wachowskis and Arianna Huffington above comes from an early shoot for CN-9.]