Robert Schwentke has inked a deal to direct “R.I.P.D”, the Universal Pictures actioner about a dead cop, played by Ryan Reynolds, who is recruited by a law-enforcement agency staffed by stiffs.

Clint reported back in August that McG (“Terminator Salvation”) had been the favourite to take directing reigns on the picture, but the former jumped ship to helm a Reese Witherspoon action/comedy called “This Mean’s War”.

Schwentke, director of next month’s “Red” starring Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman, will direct the film adaptation of the Dark Horse comic when Reynolds’ schedule frees up, says Deadline.

In the film, Reynolds’ dead copper partners with a long-dead gunslinger on a mission to catch the former’s killer.

Schwentke is also onboard a film adaptation of another good read, Robert Ludlum’s “The Osterman Weekend” for Summit Entertainment,