McG helps Ryan Reynolds police the dead on R.I.P.D.?

An adaptation of the Dark Horse comic R.I.P.D. has been in the works for years, but recently caught a wave with producer Neal Moritz (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUSes) reportedly roping in comic regular Ryan Reynolds for the project.

Universal is obviously hoping for a MEN IN BLACK style high-concept hit, but is director McG the guy to deliver? The CHARLIE’S ANGELS and TERMINATOR trasher is circling the project, according to the fairly reliable Pajiba.

But first things first — McG has to get through his troubled action-comedy-romance THIS MEANS WAR, which currently has Tom Hardy literally fighting Chris Pine to win the heart of Reese Witherspoon. That project, in development for over a decade, saw at least a dozen actors either reject or depart it, including Sam Worthington, Seth Rogen, Bradley Cooper and Colin Farrell. Whether the script or the director, something about it must be a bit repellent.

The R.I.P.D. comic blurb: “Welcome to the Rest In Peace Department — the devoted, yet dead, officers of divine law enforcement “patrolling the deadbeat…reporting to one boss.” Yep — THAT boss. Nick Cruz was murdered by an unknown assailent, at the height of his personal and professional life. Now he’s traded a hundred years of service to the R.I.P.D. in exchange for a shot at finding who killed him. Unfortunately his search will take him to Hell and back — literally!“