Ridley Scott In Talks For Cormac McCarthy's 'Counselor'

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The story of Cormac McCarthy's "The Counselor" is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing in Hollywood and one that could result in a truly fantastic film.

[url="http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/ridley-scott-in-talks-for-cormac-mccarthys-the-counselor/"]Deadline reported[/url] last night (January 31) that [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/97929/personmain.jhtml"]Ridley Scott[/url] is in talks to direct "The Counselor," based on the first feature film script by McCarthy. Scott would make it his next picture after "[url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/433741/moviemain.jhtml"]Prometheus[/url]."

For those of you just hearing about this, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist shocked everyone—his agents most of all—when he turned in a spec script back in December. The story garnered comparisons both to McCarthy's novel "[url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/298136/moviemain.jhtml"]No Country for Old Men[/url]" and the television series "Breaking Bad."

The story follows an attorney in the American Southwest, who thinks he can dip his toe into the drug trade without getting buried too deep. He would be wrong.

"The Counselor" does not mark the first occasion that McCarthy's and Scott's name have been mentioned together. Scott had long been attached to a potential adaptation of "Blood Meridian," the book many consider McCarthy's masterpiece and un-adaptable. The project never came together and eventually passed to [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/20584/personmain.jhtml"]Todd Field[/url], and later [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/264077/personmain.jhtml"]James Franco[/url] expressed interest in tackling the novel, even filming test footage.

The concept of "The Counselor" doesn't have many modern day comparisons. Long gone are the days of literary titans, like McCarthy's idol William Faulkner, making the transition to film. McCarthy did something truly unexpected, in the best way possible, and getting a big name director attached to the project quickly only heightens the excitement.

McCarthy has experienced somewhat of a cinematic renaissance in recent years. [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/62326/personmain.jhtml"]Billy Bob Thornton[/url] directed the first adaptation of a McCarthy novel, "[url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/183500/moviemain.jhtml"]All the Pretty Horses[/url]," in 2000 to a mixed response. The Coen Brothers struck Oscar gold when they turn "No Country for Old Men" into a movie. Two years later, the book that won McCarthy the Pulitzer, "[url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/367009/moviemain.jhtml"]The Road[/url]," found its way on screen. Last year, [url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/32028/personmain.jhtml"]Tommy Lee Jones[/url], a well-known McCarthy fan, brought his play "[url="http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/471809/moviemain.jhtml"]The Sunset Limited[/url]" to HBO.

[i]How do you feel about Ridley Scott directing "The Counselor"? Let us know what you think in the comments below and on [url="http://www.twitter.com/mtvmoviesblog"]Twitter[/url]![/i]



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