by: S. Scott Stanikmas

Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, the duo behind the 2014 action smash John Wick, have signed on to direct a period piece about the first SWAT team, which right now has the working title Shanghai SWAT Project (which actually sounds pretty badass), according to the folks at The Tracking Board.

The film will center on William E Fairbairn, a British soldier that became a legendary cop. Between the World Wars, Fairbairn was sent to Shanghai in the 20’s and 30’s to help clean up one of the most dangerous places on the planet. While he was there, Fairbairn was attacked and stabbed a dozen times. Although left for dead, Fairbairn recovered. And when he did come back it was with a team of the best operatives from around the world. He created the first SWAT team to combat the criminals that ran Shanghai.

Faibairn is famous for creating a unique fighting style called Defendu and is said to be the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s James Bond character.

If this film calls for action (which it most definitely will), you couldn’t ask for better men behind the camera than Stahelski and Leitch. Besides directing John Wick, the duo worked in the stunt department for a lot of the most action packed movies of the last two decades. The Matrix series, 300, V for Vendetta, The Wolverine…the list goes on and on!

This Fairbairn is the kind of guy that NEEDS to have a movie made about him. I’m shocked it’s taken me this long to hear about how kick-ass this guy was…or that it’s taken this long for Hollywood to get something like this in development.

It’s not known at this time where this film will fall in the duo’s schedule. They have this and the upcoming John Wick sequel on their plates. And they may still be in the running for the Chris Pratt vehicle Cowboy Ninja Viking.

Whenever this gets made, expect me to be in line day one to see it!