For a while there it looked like Joe Cornish may succeed J.J. Abrams as the director of STAR TREK 3, but we have since gotten the kibosh on that lead. The ATTACK THE BLOCK director is not going to be bored though as he will get to stretch his filmmaking muscles with a project decidedly different from the science fiction he has become associated with.
Cornish, who recently co-wrote ANT-MAN with Edgar Wright, will next direct Jack O’Connell in Universal’s spy thriller SECTION 6. O’Connell was cast in the film a few weeks ago, effectively ending the rumors that he may get a lead in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII.
The historical spy thriller follows the World War I-era formation of British intelligence agency MI6 and its first director, Sir George Mansfield Cummings, who served as the inspiration for M in the “James Bond” series.
O’Connell is playing the protege to Cummings, a role that has been rumored to possibly be going to Hugh Jackman. Universal and Cornish are looking at the potential to turn SECTION 6 into a franchise. Whether that happens or remains a one-off film, SECTION 6 certainly has an inspired director who has yet to be tested with a truly big budget project. But, if ATTACK THE BLOCK is any indicator, we should all be in for a pleasant surprise.