Variety is reporting that Warners Bros has snatched up Cicero, a script about Al Capone from screenwriter Walon Green.

“Cicero”
details Capone’s rise from the slums of Brooklyn to the head of the
criminal underworld in Chicago during Prohibition, when his gang operated
casinos and speakeasies throughout the city. In order to operate
outside Chicago city limits, the gangster set up headquarters in
suburban Cicero, Ill., where he famously took over the city government in 1924.

The script’s described as a throwback to the shoot-’em-up
gangster films that Warner released during the 1930s including Edward
G. Robinson’s “Little Caesar” and James Cagney’s “The Public Enemy” and
“Angels With Dirty Faces.”

So who is this hot young scribe Walon Green? Well, he’s not exactly young. Born in 1936, Green co-wrote a little movie called The Wild Bunch with Sam Peckinpah in the 60’s. Then in the 70’s he wrote Sorcerer, William Friedkin’s phenomenal and sadly underseen remake of The Wages of Fear. For those of you thinking, “Sure, those movies are both good, but did he ever do anything really cheesy?” You’re in luck, cause he also did the 80’s sci-fi rollerblading super classic, Solarbabies! Though before you go building that shrine I should note he’s also the guy who rewrote Frank Miller’s RoboCop 2 script.

Anyhow, I like the sound of Cicero. I could really go for a good ol’ fashion gangster picture. No word yet on a potential director or star. So come on guys, let’s get fan casting! And no saying Bob Hoskins and a time-machine. History already tried that once and it didn’t stick.