Exclusive: Director Dan Schechter talks the Jackie Brown prequel!

Last year, I brought some news from a very kind source that a JACKIE BROWN prequel was in the works. Now it looks like the ball has finally started rolling.

John Hawkes has signed on for writer/director Dan Schechter’s (SUPPORTING CHARACTERS) adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel. Hawkes will take on the role of Louis Gara originally played by Robert De Niro in Tarantino’s film. When I made the comment that Hawkes was a great land, we spoke to Schechter who said this in response, “Huge for me. Amazing when you can get an actor that’s hot, respected and perfect for the role, if not better than what you’d hoped because he adds to it.” Hawkes had not seen JACKIE BROWN nor read any of Leonard’s novels previous to being cast, but immediately responded to the role, which was “great” according to Schechter.

Mos Def was already attached to play Ordell Robbie, originally played by Samuel L. Jackson. Double win.

The prequel, which is titled THE SWITCH for right now, is set 15-years before the events of JACKIE BROWN and centers on, “Ordell and Louis as they team up to kidnap Mickey Dawson, the wife of a corrupt Detroit real estate developer. When the husband refuses to pay the ransom for his wife’s return, the ex-cons are forced to reconceive their plan, and the angry housewife uses the duo to get her revenge.”

Schechter, who is a huge fan of Leonard, wrote up an adaptation without any permission beforehand and took a chance sending it to producer Michael Siegel (BE COOL). Siegel, who also happens to be the long time rep for Leonard, then shared it with the author and the two gave the up and comer the rights to make the film. Schechter is excited to take on the task, “Elmore Leonard is my favorite writer and ‘Jackie Brown’ is one of my all-time favorite films. It’s a dream project, but I take that responsibility seriously.”