Universal Pictures has plans to adapt another Robert Ludlum work with The Janson Directive, Deadline reports. The book, published posthumously in 2002, is officially described as follows:
When billionaire philanthropist Peter Novak is kidnapped by a terrorist known as The Caliph, it’s up to Paul Janson – a legend in the notorious U.S. covert agency Consular Operations – to save him. But Janson’s rescue operation goes horribly wrong…and soon Janson is marked for death, the target of a “beyond salvage” order issued from the highest level of the government. Now Janson is running for his life, pursued by Jessica Kincaid, a young agent of astonishing ability who can anticipate and counter his every move. To survive, Janson must outrace a conspiracy that has gone beyond the control of its originators. To win, he must counter it with a conspiracy of his own…
The film is being developed through Captivate Entertainment with John Hlavin attached to provide the first draft. The writer is also one of the credited talents on the upcoming Underworld Awakening.
Plans for Janson no doubt seek to duplicate the immense success of the studio’s “Jason Bourne” franchise, also based on the work of Ludlum. That franchise’s third sequel, The Bourne Legacy, is due in theaters on August 3, 2012, with Jeremy Renner in the lead.
