Source: Variety

In his first starring role developed by his Plan B Films, Brad Pitt is going to play gunslinger Jesse James in a period Western that will be directed by Chopper helmer Andrew Dominik.

The project is based on the Robert Hansen novel "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." The book focused on Robert Ford as a way to tell the James legend. Ford was a member of the James gang and started out worshipping the exploits of the fastest gun in the West. He eventually became envious and figured he'd take over the gang and garner his own reputation by shooting James in the back, only to be forever branded a coward.

The book was optioned last year as a co-production between Ridley and Tony Scott, and Plan B, the Warner Bros.-based company that was run by Pitt, Brad Grey and Jennifer Aniston.

Pitt is also expected to topline the Plan B-produced WB pics The Hatfields and the McCoys, to be directed by Michael Mann, and Infernal Affairs, to be helmed by Martin Scorsese.

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