Steven Spielberg To Direct New Movie Based on Steve McQueen’s Bullitt Character

Steven Spielberg is taking one of the classic action heroes of the 1960s in Frank Bullitt and developing a new movie around the character. Deadline reports that the Saving Private Ryan and Jurassic Park director is attached to the film, which will be a new original story and not a remake of the 1968 thriller.

Spielberg will produce the film as well as direct, with Josh Singer writing. Warner Bros. has taken on the film, which will likely not be Spielberg’s next picture as there’s no script and details are still being finalized.

Bullitt starred Steve McQueen as San Francisco detective Frank Bullitt, whose team is guarding a mobdter-turned-witness. When the witness is killed despite Bullitt’s best efforts, the cop goes on the hunt for the mob boss responsible for the hit.

The film began a massive hit for Warner Bros. when it released, and Frank Bullitt became one of McQueen’s most iconic roles. The famed car chase scene is one of the most lauded and well-known such scenes in movie history.

Spielberg’s latest film, West Side Story, is nominated for seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. His next film, the semi-autobiographical The Fablemans, releases this Thanksgiving.