Many moons ago (about 21 months), word came out that Josh Olson was adapting Lee Child’s ONE SHOT for the big screen. Olson delivered the goods on A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE and many (including me) were hoping this news meant that a Jack Reacher film was on it’s way.

Apparently not.

But now we do have what could be promising news: Heat Vision is reporting that Christopher McQuarrie has been brought on board for a rewrite with the chance to direct. McQuarrie snagged an Oscar for the screenplay for the killer THE USUAL SUSPECTS and directed/wrote 2000’s THE WAY OF THE GUN.

To my way of thinking, this is great. But I must confess that Suspects is one of my favorites. But it is not just me that likes this, Mr. Lee is pleased as well: “I worked 18 years for a multiple Emmy- and Oscar-winning production company, so I know exactly what the Reacher movie needs, and what it needs is Chris McQuarrie, so I’m delighted producer Don Granger was thinking along the same lines. Lots of people “get” Reacher, but a great movie will need the guy who “really, really, really gets” him, and McQuarrie is that guy – more than anyone else in the biz right now.”

“Jack Reacher is working on his tan with a Norwegian blonde on the beach in Miami. The weather is hot and he is so cool you could skate on him. But he doesn’t like to stick around. He likes to be on the move. He was in the machine his whole life. Then the machine coughed and spat him out. Now he takes it easy. He’s not looking for trouble. But sometimes trouble looks for Reacher.

A lone gunman hides in a parking garage and shoots into a crowd in a public plaza in a small Indiana city. Five random people die in a senseless massacre. The shooter leaves a perfect trail behind him and the police quickly track him down. His name is James Barr. It’s a watertight case. After his arrest, James Barr refuses to talk. Then, to his lawyer, he utters a single phrase: “Get Jack Reacher for me.” But Reacher’s already on his way. What could connect this obvious psychopath with our wandering ex-army cop?

By the time Reacher hits town, Barr’s been beaten badly enough to forget everything about the day in question. So Reacher begins to piece together the wealth of evidence; he does the math and comes to a few conclusions of his own.”

For those that are not familiar with the novel and it’s hero (Shame on you!), ONE SHOT is the ninth thriller to feature Jack Reacher, a former Army police officier that now wanders the country as a nomad. Jack is more man than you, me and the entire block combined.