Variety writes that Ridley Scott is in talks with Columbia to direct a feature-length adaptation of the British mini-series Red Riding. Columbia recently acquired the rights, and the studio is courting Scott and screenwriter Steven Zaillian as potential collaborators on the project. The two worked together previously on American Gangster and Hannibal.
The miniseries was based on a series of novels by David Peace and aired in March 2009 as three feature-length episodes, which took place in 1974, 1980, and 1983. The first story centers around a reporter (played by Andrew Garfield) who investigates the abductions of several Yorkshire-area girls. His efforts are hampered by corrupt local police, who have been paid off by a greedy businessman (played by Sean Bean) trying to build a mall in the area.
Scott and Zaillian, should they agree to take on the project, would move the action to the US and condense all three episodes into one feature-length movie. Scott already has several projects on his plate, including Robin Hood and a prequel to his own Alien. If Zaillian signed on to write the script, it will be only his second in four years; he also co-wrote the script for the upcoming Moneyball, which has already run into several snags.