Hearing today that Phillip Noyce (“Salt”, “Clear and Present Danger”) is in talks to return to the action/thriller genre with “Hunter Killer”, a “Black Hawk Dawn”-style piece optioned by Relativity in 2008.

The project is based on Don Keith and George Wallace’s novel “Firing Point,” about an American sub commander and a Navy SEAL team that must rescue the Russian president and defeat a renegade admiral who’s attempting a coup.

Pierre Morel (“DistrictB13″) had been previously in talks direct the project, which is based on a very well-received spec based by producer Arne Schmidt.
Noyce, who recently turned down the chance to direct a “Salt” sequel, has now sparked to the project and, depending on how fast it can get up, it’s said it could be his next project.

The way these things work is that a filmmaker with the statue of Noyce, someone with a bevy of hits behind him, is usually attached to quite a few projects at one time. In this case, Noyce is also onboard “Timeless” (a love story from “Salt” producer Sunil Perkash), the thriller “Wenceslas Square ” and the Russell Crowe starring Australian movie “Dirt Music” (which has been in development for several years) so it’s just a question of which one finds its bank, its cast and its footing first.

As a big fan of Noyce’s Jack Ryan flicks, “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger”, I’d love to see him tackle Keith and Wallace’s novel – perfect fit.