The Saint Returns Courtesy RKO

Plans are afoot for RKO Pictures to bring The Saint Franchise back in the first film of a possible trilogy reports Variety.

Travis Wright has been hired to write the new screenplay

Writer Leslie Charteris created the character starting in the late 1920's as series of books. They followed Simon Templar, a thief who sees himself as a modern day Robin Hood --stealing only from other criminals - corrupt politicians, arms dealers, drug runners and such

The property has been adapted many times before, most noted as a long-running British TV show in the 60's with Sir Roger Moore in the title role.

Phil Noyce directed a really poor film adaptation in 1997 starring Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue, while Ian Ogilvy and Simon Dutton portrayed the character on the small screen in the 70's and 80's respectively.  The great Vincent Price voiced the character for a radio show.

This rebooted version however will be based on three of the nine 'Saint' films in library from the 30's and 40's. George Sanders, Louis Hayward and Hugh Sinclair played the role in those films. Which three films will be adapted is unknown.

Rick Porras, a second unit director on "Lord of the Rings trilogy", will be producing the new version of The Saint with Vanessa Coifman.