Bohemian Rhapsody stand-in and Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher is spinning up a new version of The Saint for Paramount Pictures. He is reportedly lining up Chris Pine for the lead role of Simon Templar and negotiations are underway.
Seth Grahame-Smith has written the screenplay with Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Brad Krevoy producing. Templar (known as The Saint) was a thief and a criminal for hire who helped out those in need. Like a modern Robin Hood, without the archery.
The famed 1960s TV series starred a pre-007 Roger Moore in the role. A TV return in the late 70s and early 80s starred Ian Ogilvy. A short-lived series of TV movies were made in the early 1990s.
In 1997 Val Kilmer left Batman to try and launch a franchise but his version didn’t really succeed. There have been numerous attempts to relaunch the character since then.
Pine is something of a Paramount golden boy, with three Star Trek outings and a Jack Ryan adventure under his belt. He will next be seen as Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman 1984.
The Saint is apparently being seen as a potential franchise with a start and release date yet to be set.
