Damian Szifron, whose satirical Wild Tales earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film this past spring, has been tapped to pen a script for Six Billion Dollar Man, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Mark Wahlberg is already attached to star in the updated version of the 1970s TV series The Six Million Dollar Man, which was in turn adapted from Martin Caidan’s Cyborg. He’s expected to play Steve Austin, no longer a test pilot (as he was in the TV show) but now a military officer horribly wounded in an accident only to have his life saved, RoboCop style, by technology. Now part-man, part-machine, and gifted with inhuman strength and speed, Austin finds himself unusually well-qualified for dangerous work in espionage.
Peter Berg (Lone Survivor) will direct the film, which is expected to be a big-budget blockbuster.
In an official statement, Szifron expressed his excitement and trepidation about adapting the series into a new franchise:
“The themes surrounding this beloved property allow for the creation of a memorable sci-fi actioner as well as a bold spy thriller. Expectations are high and I’ll do my best to deliver the strongest basis for an amazing cinematic experience.”
The writer-director may seem like an odd choice for a studio pic like this, but he’s riding high on the wave of acclaim that Wild Tales received. In addition to its Oscar nom, the film swept Argentina’s Academy Awards, winning 10 out of 21 total nominations.
