Columbia Pictures has acquired Empire, a drama that John Logan (Gladiator) will write for Michael Mann to direct and Will Smith to topline, says Variety.
The trade says that Smith is expected to play a contemporary global media mogul.
Smith and James Lassiter’s Overbrook Entertainment will produce with Mann’s Forward Pass.
Empire puts the director back in the ring with Smith for the first time since Ali. Mann has been working as producer with Smith, Lassiter and Akiva Goldsman on Hancock.
