Two years ago, it was announced that the Soska Twins would be directing a new adaptation of PAINKILLER JANE, the Jimmy Palmiotti / Joe Quesada comic book series that previously served as the basis of a 2005 movie starring Emmanuelle Vaugier and a one season Syfy series starring Kristanna Loken in 2007.
It doesn't appear that the Soskas are attached to the project anymore, but the new version of PAINKILLER JANE just took a big step forward in its development – it got its star.
Jessica Chastain has signed on to play the title character, and will also be producing the film through her company Freckle Films. Lenny Beckerman of Lotus Entertainment and Stephen L'Heureux of Solipsist Films will also be producing, with Bill Johnson, Jim Seibel, Ara Keshishian, and Palmiotti serving as executive producers.
In case you've never read an issue of PAINKILLER JANE or seen the previous screen incarnations, the synopsis goes like this:
Jane is an undercover police officer assigned to infiltrate a mob who doesn't realize that an explosive device has been planted on her. She's severely injured, but her target manages to revive her and give her superhuman regenerative powers. She then becomes the vigilante Painkiller Jane, leaving behind her life as a police officer.
This sounds like it could be a very fun role for Chastain. I've never watched or read any PAINKILLER JANE before, but I am now very interested in catching up on what Chastain's predecessors did before I see her Jane in action.