Director Rob Cohen and producer Gene Kirkwood have teamed up to develop a new franchise based on Newton's time as the head of the Royal Mint, where he will also double as a detective. No doubt Cohen and Kirkwood are keen to jump on the rejuvenated historical figure bandwagon to go alongside Edgar Allen Poe in The Raven and the upcoming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Cohen will also be on scriptwriting duties and overseeing the design of a graphic novel based on the eventual screenplay. The studio behind the project, BiteSize Entertainment, is described as a multi-platform studio and Kirkwood is keen to emphasise the proposed Newton film's multimedia opportunities, stating: 'We see this as a real opportunity to redefine the concept from day one, using multiple channels and outlets to more creatively develop and extend the characters and storyline while generating huge excitement in advance of the theatrical release."
Admittedly, I don't know a great deal about Newton's life but thankfully the Internet was there to provide, and it turns out, rather surprisingly, that Cohen and Kirkwood may actually have a leg to stand on when it comes to Newton being an action hero. Although there's not so many carriage-chases or exploding gunpowder, his time at the Royal Mint saw him take on counterfeiters, disguising himself to spy on them in bars and taverns. So while it's not quite Die Hard, there's actually potential for some seventeenth-century action shenanigans.
Now who else is up for Jason Statham in a wig for the title character?
Source: THR
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