Michael Mann has signed up to direct Robert De Niro in Frankie Machine, the adaptation of The Winter of Frankie Machine (Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk) written by Don Winslow.

The story of Frankie Machine, a retired hitman with a successful business and a new life away from the mob. One day the local boss calls on him for a favour, a favour he has to deliver, and then he's "sucked right back in". Unfortunately the hit is a set-up, and he's forced to become the character he once was in order to survive.

Martin Scorsese had been lined up to direct the film, but then we heard he pulled out.

Now the news from Variety tells us that Michael Mann is taking his place. I think this is interesting news, I'd much rather see Michael Mann direct Robert De Niro and give us something to his performance in the Heat remake.

I could see that this is going to be a great response to Francis Ford Coppola's negative comments about the star. Instead of taking the possibly slower paced Martin Scorsese route Robert De Niro is going to be taking the stylish, faster paced, Michael Mann film, and that's going to push him a bit more I hope.