Universal is developing a potential new spy franchise, and they may have found one of their leads. The Wrap has learned SKINS star Jack O'Connell is in final negotiations to play the younger lead in SECTION 6. The film will be about the creation of the MI6 during World War I, and the first director of the intelligence agency (who by the way, was also the inspiration for M in the James Bond movies), Sir George Mansfield Cummings.
Jack O'Connell will be getting a lot of attention in the next few months because of his performance in Angelina Jolie's UNBROKEN, and Universal is betting on O'Connell to help launch a franchise for them with SECTION 6. The actor also stars in the upcoming 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE and was rumored to be up for a role in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII and in Matthew Vaughn's THE SECRET SERVICE.
O'Connell is a decent actor, and I love a good spy flick, so SECTION 6 sounds good to me so far. No director has been hired yet, but the spec-script was part of a bidding war back in October, and we could hear more news about the film soon if Universal lands Jack O'Connell for the role.