Favreau and Downey to Play 'Cowboys and Aliens'

It's speculative, but still newsworthy

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Tuesday, September 1st 2009 at 3:38 PM

Back in June of 2007 it was announced DreamWorks and Universal would be turning the graphic novel "Cowboys & Aliens" into a feature film based on the Image Comics graphic novel written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley, which mixes Western and science fiction genres. Set in 1800s Arizona, a skirmish between cowboys and Apaches is interrupted by the crash landing of a space ship. The alien commander plans to tame the Old West and enslave everyone, but the cowboys and Native Americans turn their six-guns against the alien invaders.

Today, the novel is back in the news as Variety's Mike Fleming reports director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. may be teaming once again following the success of Iron Man last year and the just completed work on Iron Man 2, due in theaters on May 10, 2010. Downey Jr. has been attached since June of last year.

The script was penned by Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus (Iron Man and Children of Men) and Variety has learned Star Trek and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen scribes, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are working on a rewrite as well as are listed amongst the large list of producers. Also producing are Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer and Ron Howard with Steven Spielberg and Platinum Studios CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. "Lost" exec producer Damon Lindeloff is also chipping in with the rewrite following work he put in with Kurtzman and Orci on the script for Star Trek 2.

Fleming's piece also says we should expect Downey Jr. and Favreau to reteam for Iron Man 3, which would serve as the fifth film in the Marvel/Paramount five film deal, which became a popular subject of conversation following yesterday's announcement of Disney's purchase of the comic giant.

So, while this news is rather speculative, it does show movement involving some interesting parties.