Is Paramount getting the Fantastic Four back together again? In short, no, not least of all because those rights are owned by Disney, but the studio is nearing a deal to have Jamie Bell join Michael B. Jordan in Without Remorse, so those hoping for a FF sequel will have to settle for that reunion.

Stefano Sollima (Sicario: Day of the Soldado) is directing the adaptation of the Tom Clancy novel, which boasts a script by Sicario scribe Taylor Sheridan.

Jordan is set to play operations officer John Clark, aka John Kelly, a former Navy SEAL who goes to work for the CIA. Bell is in final negotiations to play Robert Ritter, who helped recruit Clark into the CIA before becoming a major figure at the agency within the Clancy universe. The character has appeared in several Clancy novels, including Clear and Present Danger.

Paramount has high hopes for Without Remorse, which is intended to launch a franchise starring Jordan, whose character returns in Rainbow Six and more than a dozen of Clancy's other novels. Jordan is ultimately the master of his own destiny on this one, as he's also producing the film along with Akiva Goldsman, Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec.

Bell last starred in Paramount's Elton John biopic Rocketman, in which he played songwriter Bernie Taupin. He's coming off a remarkable performance as a reformed skinhead in the A24 drama Skin, and also served as an executive producer on the Elle Fanning drama Teen Spirit. I reviewed both films favorable out of Toronto last year, so check those reviews out here and here.

Bell also recently starred in the indie movie Donnybrook, which I still need to see, making this article a very wordy Note to Self. He's represented by UTA, and his casting was first reported by Variety.