Christian Bale Is "Travis McGee"

Variety reports that Christian Bale is in early talks to headline "Travis McGee". No official offer is in place yet, but Bale has agreed to star.

The film will be based on author John D. MacDonald "The Deep Blue Good-by," the first title of nearly two dozen mystery books featuring the character of Travis Magee and set around Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

McGee works as a "salvage consultant," recovering property and money for clients and taking half the fee in return. In many ways he's the absolute last-ditch option for ever getting back whatever it is you lost."Good-by" centers on McGee's efforts to track down a treasure that a soldier escaped with and hid after World War II

Author Dennis Lehane and "Minority Report" scribe Scott Frank wrote the most recent draft of the adapted screenplay from which James Mangold ("The Wolverine") is slated to direct.

Leonardo DiCaprio was previously attached to play McGee last May, but has moved on. He remains on board as producer with .Jennifer Davisson Killoran.