David Slade to direct adaptation of Ed Brubaker’s Coward

Ed Brubaker is adapting his graphic novel “Coward” for David Slade (THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE) to direct. 

The synopsis of the comic- “Coward” is the story of Leo, a professional pickpocket who is also a legendary heist-planner and thief. But there’s a catch with Leo, he won’t work any job that he doesn’t call all the shots on, he won’t allow guns, and the minute things turn south, he’s looking for any exit that won’t land him in prison. But when he’s lured into a risky heist, all his rules go out the window, and he ends up on the run from the cops and the bad men who double-crossed him. Now Leo must come face-to-face with the violence he’s kept bottled up inside for 20 years, and nothing will ever be the same for him again.

Written by Brubaker with art by Sean Phillips, “Coward” was the first arc of the “Criminal” series which won the coveted Eisner award for best new series in 2007. Brubaker has actually won the prize of best writer at the Eisner Awards three of the last five years, for the “Criminal” series, “Captain American”, “Daredevil” and others.

“If Ryan Gosling hadn’t already been in DRIVE, he’d be perfect (for the role of Leo),” Brubaker told Variety. “It’s a good role for any actor, about a guy who’s afraid to do things because of what’s inside of him. It’s a heist story, partly — it’s a lot of different crime stories wrapped in one, but heist stories are always exciting if they’re pulled off correctly.”

Slade is of course no stranger to adaptations of graphic novels, as he directed the adaptation of Steve Niles’ 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. He’s also attached to direct the (needless) reboot of the DAREDEVIL franchise.

For more on “Coward” check out the official site.