David Koepp To Direct Bike Messenger Action Film Premium Rush
David Koeppis best known as one of Hollywood’s highest paid screenwriters (and one of Spielberg’s scribes). His screenwriting credits include everything fromToy Soldiers, Jurassic Park, andCarlito’s Way, toPanic Room, Spider-Man, War of the WorldsandIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
For the last decade he’s been trying to make the transition into feature film directing. He made his debut with the promisingStir of Echoes, but has since followed up with some lackluster efforts, the 2004 Stephen King adaptationSecret Windowand the 2008 Ricky Gervais supernatural romantic comedyGhost Town. Honestly, I think Koepp is a much better screenwriter than he is a filmmaker, and that’s not saying much considering the abundance of lackluster screenplays he’s been involved with in the last 10-12 years. With that kind of intro, you must be really interested in his next directorial effort (yes, that was sarcasm).
Next up, Koepp will direct a film calledPremium Rush, penned by his frequent screenwriting collaboratorJohn Kamps. Aside from working with Koepp onGhost TownandZathura, he also wroteMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. Yup, no snarky commentary needed.
According toVariety, the story follows a 20-something-year-old bike messenger who somehow gets involved in a chase across New York City. And we’re not just talking about a little chase but big budget William Friedkin-style action sequences. Apparently a dirty cop is “desperate to get his hands” on an envelope the messenger received from Columbia University (the Macguffin?).
As much as I’m not a fan of Koepp’s filmmaking choices thus far, I’m always game for another chase movie, especially a film with a budget. Columbia Pictures is apparently fast tracking the project, and casting will begin searching for a leading man immediately. So I’m sure we’ll be hearing a casting and start announcement by year’s end.
bike messenger image via72ppi
