The last movie Gary Ross wrote and directed was 2003's Seabiscuit. Except for a little scriptwriting duties for The Tale of Despereaux, Ross has remained relatively quiet in Hollywood. But that's all changed.
While still finishing the script to Spider-Man 4, Ross was hired to rewrite and direct the Spider-Man 3 spin-off movie Venom, but that's not all. ThePlaylist reports that Ross will also direct Matt Helm, a project previously associated with Steven Spielberg.
A 33-volume, pulp novel series about a suave super-spy that began in the 1960s, Matt Helm was written Donald Hamilton. The series has already been adapted into four movies with Dean Martin in the 1960s (The Silencers, The Ambushers, Murderers Row, The Wrecking Crew), and a TV show in the '70s with Anthony Franciosa in the title role.
Paramount is currently seeking Bradley Cooper for the lead, which will be updated from the swinging '60s to the modern day by Paul Attanasio (Donnie Brasco). Star Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are producing with Paramount eying a summer of 2010 start date should everything fall into place.
After Helm, it is believed Ross will take on Venom.