David Mackenzie was reportedly on the shortlist to direct Bond 25. With that job eventually going to Cary Fukunaga, Mackenzie has set his sights on a different spy project. Per Collider, the Hell Or High Water filmmaker is in talks to direct Jett Day for Warner Bros.
The film follows a black ops agent on a mission to prevent a newly-discovered diamond mine from falling into Russian hands. Ozark creator Bill Dubuque has written the screenplay, and will also produce alongside Jon Berg and Zero Gravity’s Mark Williams.
Warner Bros. is reportedly hoping for a franchise to stem from this project. Studios still thrive to develop their answer to the Bond series; Paramount have the Mission: Impossible franchise and are developing a Tom Clancy series with Michael B. Jordan, 20th Century Fox have Kingsman, Universal have the Bourne franchise, and Warner Bros. have also greenlit a sequel to Dubuque’s previous spy movie, The Accountant.
There’s a reason Mackenzie was in the running for the Bond gig. He’s directed gritty, violent films such as Starred Up and Outlaw King, and those skills should transfer handily to the spy genre. He’ll be a great fit for Jett Day. Attention now turns to what big star the studio will bring on board for the project.
#Peace.Love.JettDay
