LOGAN’s Scott Frank Reteaming With James Mangold For THE FORCE

First things first: if you haven't already read Don Winslow's The Force, you need to head over to this page right now and order the newly-released paperback edition of the novel. Unpredictably twisty and packed with more grit than a dozen DCU films, The Force is hands down the best crime novel I've read in years, the kind of thing you won't be able to put down once you pick it up. Once that's out of the way, it's time to start getting hyped about James Mangold's forthcoming adaptation of the novel.

Here's a plot synopsis, for those of you who remain unfamiliar:

"All Denny Malone wants is to be a good cop. He is “the King of Manhattan North,” a, highly decorated NYPD detective sergeant and the real leader of “Da Force.” Malone and his crew are the smartest, the toughest, the quickest, the bravest, and the baddest, an elite special unit given unrestricted authority to wage war on gangs, drugs and guns. Every day and every night for the eighteen years he’s spent on the Job, Malone has served on the front lines, witnessing the hurt, the dead, the victims, the perps. He’s done whatever it takes to serve and protect in a city built by ambition and corruption, where no one is clean—including Malone himself.

What only a few know is that Denny Malone is dirty: he and his partners have stolen millions of dollars in drugs and cash in the wake of the biggest heroin bust in the city’s history. Now Malone is caught in a trap and being squeezed by the Feds, and he must walk the thin line between betraying his brothers and partners, the Job, his family, and the woman he loves, trying to survive, body and soul, while the city teeters on the brink of a racial conflagration that could destroy them all."

Now, we've known Mangold was working on this adaptation for some time, from a script by the legendary David Mamet ... but according to Deadline, that's no longer the case:

"Fox has set Scott Frank has been set to rewrite The Force, the adaptation of the bestselling NYPD corrupt cop thriller novel by Don Winslow. James Mangold has been developing to direct, and this reunites him with Frank after they shared a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination with Michael Green for Logan, Hugh Jackman’s farewell to his signature X-Men character Wolverine."

Yes, Logan's Scott Frank is getting back into the James Mangold game, and this time he'll be rewriting David Mamet. That sounds pretty damn intimidating, but then again: I'm not Oscar-nominated screenwriter Scott Frank. Of course I'd be intimidated. Frank, on the other hand, is a boss, and feels like an excellent fit for this material. We're not thrilled to hear the Mamet draft's being rewritten, but we'd also be hard-pressed to complain about Frank taking over. Well done, folks.

Anyway, no word on how this may impact The Force's already-established March 1st, 2019 release date, but we're willing to bet this means a delay - even if it's a relatively brief one! - is more likely than not. Stay tuned for more on The Force as it becomes available. In the meantime, feel free to back me up on my love for this book in the comments below.