Have Gun, Will Rap

For those of you, just dying to know what rapper Eminem's next movie will be--Chris Gardner of Variety offers the early details:

Eminem is attached to star in a contemporary feature adaptation of the CBS series "Have Gun -- Will Travel" for Paramount Pictures.

Studio has extended an 18-month option on the property to develop it as a vehicle for the rapper.

Par[amount]-based Interscope/Shady/Aftermath Films will produce, with credits going to Jimmy Iovine and Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg. ISA's Stuart Parr and Gene Kirkwood are also expected to receive some producer credit along with the property's original rights holders.

Debuting in September 1957, the TV Western starred Richard Boone as Paladin, a gunfighter-for-hire.

Concept will be updated to contemporary times and see Eminem playing a bounty hunter.

Setting could be Eminem's hometown of Detroit, but those details have yet to be worked out.

Rosenberg told Daily Variety that the vehicle will be revamped from the original, with some characters based loosely on ones from the series as well as nods to certain story points.

While "8 Mile" was a music-themed pic, this project will take Eminem out of that genre and place him in a dramatic actioner. However, there is likely to be some musical component -- soundtrack or scoring -- in which Eminem will be involved.

While the project is in the early stages of development, the producers and [the studio] are looking to get it on the fast track.

Since "8 Mile," Eminem's film debut for Universal, studios have been looking to be in business with him. The rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers and his reps had a hard time finding the right follow-up, however.

"When this property essentially became available we discussed it and brought it to Marshall and he was very intrigued and excited about the concept," Rosenberg said.

[Studio co-[President] of production Brad Weston said, "We have been looking for projects to work on with Jimmy, Paul, Stuart and Gene. (This) allows Eminem to go beyond what he did in '8 Mile.'

While Eminem's musical style may not be my cup of tea, I have to say, I enjoyed his work in 8 Mile more than I thought I would. Yes, his role was semi-autobiographical, but I still think he did a good job nonetheless. If done properly--the movie may give the rapper another creative outlet.

It sounds as though, the film will have little use for the western elements of the original series, which is a shame for the genre.

I never saw an entire episode of the series--but I will be following the project as it rolls along.