Deadline reports Fox has turned to The Wolverine director James Mangold to direct the adaptation, with the most recent script coming from DiCaprio's Shutter Island writer, Dennis Lehane. The series of pulp novels centers on McGee, a detective and self-professed "salvage consultant" who will help anyone find anything for the right price. Here's a synopsis of the novel....
Travis McGee is a self-described beach bum who won his houseboat in a card game. He’s also a knight-errant who’s wary of credit cards, retirement benefits, political parties, mortgages, and television. He only works when his cash runs out, and his rule is simple: He’ll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.
McGee isn’t particularly strapped for cash, but how can anyone say no to Cathy, a sweet backwoods girl who’s been tortured repeatedly by her manipulative ex-boyfriend Junior Allen? What Travis isn’t anticipating is just how many women Junior has torn apart and left in his wake. Enter Junior’s latest victim, Lois Atkinson.
Frail and broken, Lois can barely get out of bed when Travis finds her, let alone keep herself alive. But Travis turns into Mother McGee, giving Lois new life as he looks for the ruthless man who steals women’s spirits and livelihoods. But he can’t guess how violent his quest is soon to become. He’ll learn the hard way that there must be casualties in this game of cat and mouse.
Fox has always had eyes on this as a potential franchise, but at the time that was with DiCaprio in tow. They'll obviously be looking for someone of his stature if that remains their long-term goal, so we'll have to wait and see how this develops and if it interferes with plans for a 'Wolverine' sequel.
