Christopher McQuarrie Teams With UA, Del Toro

United Artists has signed Christopher McQuarrie, the Oscar-winning writer behind The Usual Suspects and the upcoming Valkyrie, for two upcoming projects. The first is The Champions, based on a 1960's British sci-fi TV show that follows three secret agents who are granted super powers after encountering an advanced civilization. Guillermo del Toro is helping with writing duties and will co-produce alongside McQuarrie, though no director is yet attached.

The second project is The Monster Of Florence, based on the best-selling book of the same name by author Douglas Preston and Italian journalist Mario Spezi. The book tells the true story of Preston and Spezi's investigation into a series of grisly unsolved murders that occurred in Italy from 1968 to 1985. Their investigation spins out of control when the two are implicated for obstruction of justice and Spezi is even named as a suspect for being the titular "Monster" himself. Tom Cruise, who stars in Valkyrie and is a co-owner of UA, may play one of the two leads.