As one of the biggest proponents of the "Jackie Brown is totally one of the very best Tarantino movies" theorem that not nearly enough people subscribe to, the idea of a new film featuring characters from that movie set in earlier years actually sounds kind of awesome. That it's actually based on real, honest-to-God Elmore Leonard canon makes it sound even better. That it features John Hawkes pretty much gives me a throbbing erection.
The film in question is a proposed adaptation of Leonard's 1978 novel The Switch, a story that takes place 15 years prior to the events of Jackie Brown, and features younger versions of Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara--the characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and Robert De Niro, respectively--doing all sorts of criminal shit back before they crossed paths with the titular lady of Tarantino's film.
John Hawkes is apparently attached to take over the De Niro role, while Yasiin Bey (Mos Def, for those unaware of the name change) will bring us his impression of a 15-years-younger Samuel L. Jackson. The film is being produced by Leonard himself, based on a script provided by writer/director Dan Schechter, who evidently just adapted the novel because he felt like it, and Leonard approved.
There have been some rather terrible Elmore Leonard novel adaptations in film, but few of them featured any real oversight from Leonard himself. Here's hoping this continues Leonard's hot streak of having his works turned into good stuff continues.
