Now that he’s already twice ridden with his modern-day outlaws in the Ocean’s gang, Brad Pitt will change it up when he straps on the spurs and sixguns to tell the umpteenth story of notorious desperado Jesse James.
Pitt, who’s surprisingly never appeared in a Western (and no, Legends of the Fall doesn’t count), will star as the famed bandit in the adaptation of Robert Hansen’s unwieldy titled novel The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The tale is told from the perspective of James Gang member Robert Ford, a man torn between worshipping Jesse and taking his place as leader of the crew. He resolves the minor dilemma by gunning down his comrade in cold blood, which could be a SPOILER for those who may have misinterpreted the subtle book title.
Aussie director Andrew Dominik (Chopper) will be at the reins of the gunslinging flick, to be produced by Pitt’s Warner Bros.-based production house Plan B, which I guess is still in action even though partners Brad Grey went to
Previous versions of Jesse James’ story include Walter Hill’s The Long Riders, the classic Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter, and CHUD favorite American Outlaws.