I guess Tom Cruise likes Christopher McQuarrie, because after the time they spent working on the upcoming VALKYRIE they’re set to team up again with THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE (Cruise is only attached to produce for United Artists at the moment). McQuarrie THE USUAL SUSPECTS, WAY OF THE GUN) will write and produce, along with Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY).
Story chronicles a true series of events from author Douglas Preston’s life. Shortly after moving his family to Italy in 2000, Preston learned that an olive grove on their property had been the scene of a brutal murder. Teaming with Italian journalist Mario Spezi, Preston began investigating the crime, which was part of a series of eight double homicides between 1968-85.
Douglas Preston is the author behind such thrillers as THE RELIC and its sequel RELIQUARY, so I guess it was actually a pretty serendipitous thing that he happened to move into a place where a murder took place. Unless…! Hmmm… I’m have to investigate this further. My book comes out in a week. (It’ll be about 3 pages long.)
McQuarrie is also working with Guillermo Del Toro (remember, he produces everything) on THE CHAMPIONS, about a team of secret government agents who are rescued from a Himalayan plane crash by an advanced civilization and given superhuman abilities.