Screenwriter Stephen Gaghan won an Oscar for “Traffic” and picked up a nomination for “Syriana,” both times receiving the sole writing credit. In between, he worked on the scripts for “The Alamo” and “Havoc” as a collaborator. So it is perhaps best for all concerned if he flies solo on the adaptation of Jon Stock’s soon-to-be-published spy thriller, “Dead Spy Running.” Of course, THR also reports McG is attached to direct the film, so perhaps the script won’t end up mattering quite so much. THR says the film is supposed to start a new trilogy for Warner Bros. and references both Bourne and John Le Carre. Which sounds suspiciously like the tone Daniel Craig-era Bond is going for. Or every other espionage movie.
Plot details are scarce, the novel appears to being with a “Speed”-like scenario where a marathoner is strapped with explosives and must maintain a certain pace to prevent them exploding. The hero, a suspended employee of MI6 (who somehow doesn’t have the initials “J.B.”) is also running the race, and fallout from the event leads to a globetrotting tour as he tries to clear his father’s name, for some reason.