Looks like Doug Liman is about to become more saintly as the director is now, according to Deadline, set to direct the upcoming The Saint reboot with Rege-Jean Page starring as international man of mystery Simon Templar.
While Page’s involvement as the film’s star and a producer already made the reboot a kind of big deal, attaching Liman to direct has definitely turned it into an absolute blockbuster. Liman, for those who don’t know, directed The Bourne Identity and has made a name for himself directing grounded action fare until making on of the greatest films ever, Edge of Tomorrow. His name brings cache not just with studios but with audiences as well.
As for The Saint, that’s probably not such a well-known brand anymore. Originally a series of novels from the 1920s, the property became even more famous when Roger Moore took on the role of Templar for a British series that catapulted him to superstardom and eventually the role of James Bond. The franchise was briefly rekindled when Val Kilmer took on the role for the blockbuster movie The Saint but has lay dormant since then. Page has been looking to kickstart it back into gear for a while and with star-rising Paramount has been hunting for the right director to bring it all together.
While the plot of the new film is under wraps, insiders are saying that the movie will reimagine the character of The Saint with a fresh approach. Just what that means isn’t clear, but the original premise of the character is that he is an international thief and super charming guy, who robs only for good — a kind of James Bond meets Robin Hood thing. Penning this new interpretation of a nearly 100-year-old character will be Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, who gave us all Black Adam. So… at least it’s got Liman going for it.
