All For One, And One For Liman

Mr. & Mrs. Smith director Doug Liman has made it to the shortlist of directors Warner Bros. wants to handle the new take on The Three Musketeers, it seems that Aramis, Athos, Porthos and D'Artagnan are set to ride again.

Liman, who is also developing a drama based on the real-life Attica prison riot, is now in negotiations to handle the film, which is being shepherded by Lionel Wigram, who helped get Sherlock Holmes made.

That move would bring the film into even further competition with hack director Paul WS Anderson’s attempt at the story, which will also be shot in 3D, but in his case for Summit Entertainment.

Anderson’s version is busy finding a cast, so Liman will no doubt be prodded to speed things up and get the Warners film ready for a likely 2011/2012 release.

It's not the first time that The Three Musketeers has had the big screen treatment; the most recent being The Musketeer in 2002 with Mena Suvari and Tim Roth. And in 1998, the Musketeers played a key role in The Man In The Iron Mask with Leonardo DiCaprio and John Malkovich, let's hope the story is treated with the respect it deserves.

I for one will be glad to see Limans version, and this is exciting news. All For One And One For All.