District 13 and Taken director headed to Tokyo thriller

Pierre Morel is attached to direct an as-yet-untitled Tokyo-set thriller for Paramount, according to Variety. Sounds like a project in Morel’s wheelhouse for sure – his previous efforts include the cult French martial arts film Banlieue 13 (released in the U.S. as District 13), and last year’s breakout action thriller Taken, which featured Liam Neeson as a kick-ass former CIA operative hunting for his daughter overseas.

Frank Baldwin is writing the screenplay, and Alli Shearmur is producing the film, which involves the Tokyo crime underworld.

Like Taken, ‘Tokyo’ will be heavy on action and intrigue. The movie follows a CIA operative on the verge of retirement, who’s stationed in Japan and ordered to carry out a final mission. He finds himself caught in the middle of an international conspiracy.

According to the report, Baldwin also adapted a remake of The House of Flying Daggers for Sam Raimi to produce and/or direct.