Ruben Fleischer To Direct Chris Evans In ‘Jekyll’
Having spent the past five years playing Marvel’s nicest superhero,Chris Evansabout to get in touch with his dark side.Zombieland’sRuben Fleischerhas just been set to direct Evans inJekyll, based on the 2007 BBC One miniseries about a modern-day descendant ofRobert Louis Stevenson’s classic split-personality character.
Deadlinereports Fleischer’sJekyllmovie already has a script byAnthony BagarozziandCharles Mondry. It sounds like Fleischer will work with the writers to take another pass at the screenplay.Marc Platt(La La Land) is producing withJeff Kleeman(The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) andEllen DeGeneres(yes, that Ellen DeGeneres). Still unclear is whenJekyllwill move forward. Fleischer is also currently working on a sequel toZombieland, his hit debut feature, while Evans is tied up with the nextAvengerssequel.
Although BBC One’sJekyllwas inspired by Stevenson’sStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it’s not a direct adaptation. Written bySteven Moffat(ofSherlockandDoctor Whofame), it starredJames Nesbittas a contemporary descendant of Jekyll who has apparently inherited his ancestor’s disorder. He ditches his wife and family without explanation, and holes himself up in a fortified basement with a hired psychiatric nurse named Reimer (Michelle Ryan). Jackman and his Hyde-like alter ego share a body but are unaware of each other’s actions, so they use a cassette recorder to pass messages back and forth between them.
Jekyllis not to be confused with the otherDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-based movie project in the works at Universal. That one is intended to be part of the Universal Monsters cinematic universe, with Russell Crowe’s Jekyll first debuting in Tom Cruise’sThe Mummy.
After breaking out withZombieland, Fleischer directed30 Minutes or Less, an action-comedy that never quite gelled, and thenGangster Squad, a tedious and generic crime drama. He’s also worked steadily in TV, working on shows likeMarry Me,Superstore, and the upcomingSanta Clarita Diet.
Evans has spent most of his time recently working on different Marvel movies, but he’s managed to squeeze in a few other features along the way includingThe Iceman,Snowpiercer, andBefore We Go, the latter of which also marked his directorial debut. He’ll next be seen inGifted, from(500) Days of SummerandAmazing Spider-Mandirector Marc Webb. He joinedJekyllin July.
