Simon West To Tackle Cavill-Starring Actioner, STRATTON

Henry Cavill in THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. From Warner Bros. Pictures (2015)

Man Of Steel star, actor Henry Cavill's days as a Kryptonian exile-turned-superhuman savior a la Zack Snyder will stake his claim once more next year in the growing ensemble lead-in to the  Justice League two-parter in the next several years with Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice. In the meantime, while he's not taking flight and battling intergalactic foes, he's got plenty of other big screen titles to look forward to while maintaining other ends of film business behind the camera, including helping to manage the production of the forthcoming book adaptation, Stratton.

Cavill, who has been pushing for the project under his shared Promethan Productions banner with brother Charlie and producer Rex Glensy for some time now, will be starring in the title role. Former military serviceman-turned-author pen-named Duncan Falconer launched the original eight-part literary series in 2003 from which the film will be based, aimed at following the story of SBS commando and Northern-Ireland intelligence operative John Stratton as he and his team set out to eliminate an international terrorist cell.

Further details are pending regarding who will be cast to join the title character for his action-packed exploits, although news from Screendaily has finally confirmed the directorial services of Con-Air, The Mechanic and The Expendables 2 helmer Simon West who is just coming off the latest limited theatrical release of his newest crime pic, Wild Card starring Jason Statham.Both Cavill and West are keen on sticking to the source material and delivering a faithful transition of the story beginning with the first book for a UK-based production, and so hopefully this newest venture will mark the start of its own franchise since it only seems fitting.

Amber Entertainment Ltd.'s Ileen Maisel and Lawrence Elman who intially optioned the project will co-produce with Promethean while GFM Films will finance and handle its sales as filming kicks off in the U.K. and Italy this Summer.

West's Wild Card is available right now on video-on-demand and will release on DVD and Blu-Ray in North America on March 31 from Lionsgate. In the meantime, Cavill will be joined by Armie Hammer in the new Guy Ritchie-directed espionage action comedy adaptation, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. for which a trailer is now making the rounds before its theatrical release this August from Warner Bros.

Stay tuned for more information.