Caffeinated Clint
Kurt Wimmer’s script for “Salt” (previously titled “Edwin A. Salt” and at that stage set to star Tom Cruise) is apparently pretty darn good. The Phil Noyce-helmed flick, which tells of a CIA officer who is fingered as a Russian sleeper spy, is set to encompass some terrific action, great spades of suspense and a terrifically meaty role for the foxy lead. But silver’s not good enough for Sony, so they’re going for Gold.
Word around the slightly-cold streets of Hollywood today is that Oscar Winning screenwriter (and director) Brian Helgeland has been hired by Sony to do a quick pass thru on the script, punching up the dialogue, before its March 2nd start date.
Sony want this to be one of their key releases of the next twelve months – if only because they’re hoping this first chapter will spin-off into a franchise (with Ms Jolie back as Evelyn Salt).
Helgeland’s somewhat of a saving grace in Hollywood. He’s been hired to rewrite such scripts as “The Bourne Supremacy” and “Assassins” and the films have been all the more better for it. The man knows character – and you only have to check out one of his scripts (say this one here, for “L.A Confidential”) to see how crafty he is at writing converse.
Helgeland, of course, wrote (and consequently won an Oscar for) “L.A Confidential”, “Payback”, “Mystic River” and the upcoming “Nottingham”. This’ll be his first collaboration with director Noyce (“Patriot Games”, “Rabbit Proof Fence”).
