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DiCaprio's Appian Way Picks Up Beat the Reaper Rights

by Alex Billington
January 8, 2009

New Regency has acquired the screen rights to Josh Bazell's recently published novel Beat the Reaper. Appian Way is also co-producing, which means this project might star Leonardo DiCaprio, considering he owns that company. The story, which sounds it has the makings of an awesome movie, is about a Manhattan emergency room doctor whose life becomes complicated when a mobster recognizes the doc from his former life as a hitman who went into the witness protection program. I don't know about you, but to me that sounds like all the perfect elements of an exciting thriller, like Crank combined with Fugitive.

Julie Yorn (Max Payne, Bride Wars) will produce with DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran. No word on when this is expected to go into production, but considering this was only a purchase of the rights, I imagine we won't be seeing it for a few more years. This is my favorite quote about the book: "Fast, fun, furious, fierce... or better yet, stop reading the accolades for Beat the Reaper, open up to page one, and start reading. See you at the cash register." You can pick up a copy on Amazon. This is one of those projects that I'll keep an eye on just in case it one day moves into production, hopefully much sooner than later.

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions

Hector

"Crank combined with Fugitive"?!!! Jesus Alex, that's a pretty horrifying thought. Pleeaassee don't say shit like that. Anyway this thing sounds like another 'History of Violence', but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hope it finds a good director and very skilled actors.
Matt

Hector, I thought the exact same thing. And I'm drawn to those stories
moldybread

...now let me get this straight...former mob hit man goes into witness protection and is now a licensed physician??? WTF??? man, that's some program....think I'll pass on this one...
Scott McHenry

Leo's a very skilled actor, he should be in it
Cody

How did you get crank from that? Only resemblance I see is thats hes a hitman. Sounds sick as hell though and if its rated R it will be badass seeing decaprio turn from a doctor to a full on neck snapping hitman. #3 Your turning the movie down because he becomes a doctor really? can you get any more shallow than that?
moldybread

@ #5...the problem I have with this idiotic story line is this....I thought medical school was a long and arduous journey for even the most intelligent among us...shallow or not, a guy who has been killing people for a living doesnt strike me as a prime candidate for med school...its the absurdity of the plot that turns me off...I could easier beleive a doctor becoming a hit man...that would be interesting...but hey, to each his own...