Hangover director Todd Phillips in talks to take over for Scorsese on the remake of The Gambler

Todd Phillips may be about to direct The Wolfpack for one last bit of adventure and insanity in THE HANGOVER PART III, but that doesn’t mean the man doesn’t have aspirations beyond the world of gonzo comedy.  And those aspirations may be en route to being manifested rather swiftly, as Phillips is currently in talks to fill the director’s chair left vacant by Martin Scorsese himself on the remake of 1974’s THE GAMBLER starring James Caan.

William Monahan (THE DEPARTED, SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR) wrote the updated script based on Dostoevsky’s story of the same name, “which centers on a UCLA literature professor with a gambling problem who runs afoul of gangsters.”  Said UCLA literature professor was originally planned to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio, but since just about the only person busier than Martin Scorsese is Leonardo DiCaprio it isn’t yet known whether he’ll still be able to play the part.

THE HANGOVER PART III starts filming next month, meaning that if Phillips secures the gig it won’t be long at all before production on THE GAMBLER gets going.