Once Brad Pitt is done with the doom and gloom of the global zompocalypse in WORLD WAR Z, he may be looking for some thrills that involve significantly fewer flesh-eating mobile deceased.
According to Deadline, Pitt is considering THE GRAY MAN with the appropriately named James Gray (WE OWN THE NIGHT). The story is an adaptation of Mark Greany’s novel, from a screenplay by Adam Cozad (one of the dozen or so writers who’s worked on the Jack Ryan reboot attempt).
Amazon tells me that The Gray Man is “a former CIA operative now renowned as the ultimate killer for hire, is on the job in Syria and Iraq. To his shock, he learns that a team sent in to rescue him now has him targeted for elimination. On the run, Gentry slowly realizes that huge forces are marshaling against him, from his former government to the one man in England he always trusted. With unbelievable powers of survival, the Gray Man eludes teams of killers and deadly traps, while the reader begins to cheer for this unlikely hero. Cinematic battles and escapes fill out the simplistic but satisfying plot, and Greaney deftly provides small details to show Gentry’s human side, offset by the petty rivalries and greed of his enemies.”
Presumably the movie would follow a similar plot (although the synopsis for Paramount’s WORLD WAR Z describes Pitt’s character racing to stop the worldwide zombie outbreak rather than deal with the bleak aftermath as Max Brooks’ book did, so you never know what will get altered during the adaptation process). It does seem like a potential franchise for Pitt if he’s looking for one — Greaney has three Gray Man novels so far.
Pitt’s involvement and schedule is apparently contingent on wife Angelina Jolie’s impending plans, as one of them needs to be available to corral their herd of children. Aw, that’s sweet.
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