JJ Abrams and Leonardo DiCaprio unite for adaptation of Stephen King’s “Billy Summers”

A year ago, news broke that JJ Abrams’ production company Bad Robot was developing a limited series adaptation of Stephen King’s novel “Billy Summers.” However, the project has since evolved into a feature film set up at Warner Bros., with Leonardo DiCaprio’s company Appian Way producing alongside Bad Robot.
According to Deadline, there’s a possibility that Abrams could direct the film, with DiCaprio taking on the lead role. Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, who previously created the TV series “Thirtysomething,” are still attached as writers.

The story of “Billy Summers” follows a hitman who is looking to retire after taking on one last highly lucrative job. The job requires him to pose as an aspiring writer in a quiet town, with a direct view of where another hitman, Joel Allen, will be delivered to face trial. The plot thickens as Billy becomes more skeptical of the mobsters who hired him and things go awry after the job is completed.

Bad Robot has previously worked with King on adaptations of “Lisey’s Story,” “Castle Rock,” and “11.22.63.”