Former Bond director Martin Campbell has come aboard the Hollywood remake of the French crime thriller “36 Quai des Orfevres”. The remake’s script is currently being written by Richard Price, who knows a thing or two about action crime thrillers, having written “Shaft” and “Ransom”. The 2004 French original starred G’rard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil, and was written and directed by Olivier Marchal. Robert De Niro was originally attached to star, but is apparently now just going to produce now that the script will have the two leads be in their ’30s.

Here’s the French original’s plot:

In the underbelly of the Parisian criminal world, the Police are frustrated by a gang committing a series of violent robberies. Leo Vrinks and Denis Klein are two cops seeking promotion and the imminent departure of the Chief sets the scene for them to compete for the vacant throne. Their competition between them becomes increasingly ruthless and blurs the usual lines of morality until there seems no difference between the police and the criminals they chase. Vrinks, meeting with a source, becomes involved with a murder. Klein seizes the opportunity to up the ante and arranges for the arrest of Vrinks but when he goes further and viciously involves Vrinks’ wife, Camille, revenge is inevitable.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the American version will follow a similar storyline.