Gary Ross Takes Matt Helm, Venom Can Wait

Published by Jeff Leins on: October 13th, 2009

Last week we reported Gary Ross was in talks with Sony Pictures to write and direct the Spider-Man spin-off Venom.  Now it seems the comic book movie will have to wait because Ross is close to directing Matt Helm for Paramount.

The movie would be based on a series of 27 novels by author Donald Hamilton about a counter-agent and similar in tone to the Bourne franchise.  Steven Spielberg was once considered for the director’s chair, but may end up getting a producer’s credit on the film.  (Spielberg has since moved to remake Harvey.)

According to The Playlist, George Clooney and Jon Hamm were considered for the title character, but eliminated for separate reasons. Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, The A-Team) is the front runner for the lead.  That guy must have a phenomenal agent, he’s popping up in contention for everything.  He’s not exactly the modern Dean Martin, the star of the campy 60’s movies.

Either Matt Helm or Venom would be a change of pace for Ross whose directing credits include Seabiscuit and Pleasantville.  Maybe he’s thinking Venom will be a one-off and is looking to move slightly away from superheroes after revising the Spider-Man 4 script.  Perhaps Helm will end up being another spy franchise, as if we didn’t have enough of those already.  He’s not completely off of the Spidey spin-off, but Matt Helm will probably be his next with production starting summer 2010.