Black and White

With Wall Street II: Money Never Sleeps wrapped up and awaiting it’s delayed Cannes premiere, Oliver Stone is scouring the market for his next venture and it is possible that he has found it in the shape of The Deep Blue Goodbye; an adaptation of John D MacDonald's novel of the same name.

The film will revolve around the protagonist Travis McGee a private eye/treasure hunter, with the story being largely based on the opening Goodbye book of a 21 book series first published in 1964.

Fox who have acquired the rights, are believed to be hoping to turn this into a money spinning franchise, on the surface it reads much in the same vain of a Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons set up revolving around detection, searching for something lost, fighting forces both bad and friendly, ultimately the protagonist coming out the victor.

However, the film is being produced through Leonardo DiCaprios’ Appian Way production company; with the proviso that he is attached to star as the titular character. But he is not exactly franchise fodder. But then again was Tom Hanks before Robert Langdon came a knocking? With a director of Stone’s caliber, Leo may just be tempted.

The plot for The Deep Blue Goodbye centers on McGee giving his life in Florida in order to search for missing treasure buried by a World War II soldier. The adaptation has not yet written, so any production of the film is not set for the immediate future, but if Stone and DiCaprio were to jump aboard, the franchise vehicle momentum will thrust forward. 

MATT RICHARDSON