Two Black List-approved scripts found studio homes today:

• The Weinstein Company is in final negotiations to finance and distribute St. Vincent De Van Nuys, which stars Bill Murray as a war veteran who has taken to such hobbies as drinking and gambling in retirement before befriending a 12-year-old neighbor.
• Silver Pictures has acquired the Andrew Baldwin script The Outsider, set in post-WWII Japan in the Yakuza underworld.  Tom Hardy is rumored for the lead role.

Hit the jump for details on both projects.

St. Vincent De Van Nuys is the feature directorial debut of Ted Melfi.  Melfi spoke to Deadline about the story:

"It’s the worst parenting decision ever made by this single mom [of the 12-year-old-boy], but she works two shifts at the hospital and the guy next door seems harmless enough.  The relationship transforms both the man and the boy and even though he teaches the kid everything about his decadent lifestyle, from fighting to drinking, gambling and how to cheat lie and steal.  And the 12-year old has such a pure soul that he only extracts the good from all this."

Fox Searchlight, Sony, and Focus Features also circled the project, but TWC is expected to finalize the deal by tomorrow.  The $13 million production is scheduled to begin shooting in June.

The Outsider centers on "an American ex-patriot who becomes a Yakuza enforcer and falls in love with a young woman within the crime family, which is seen as a betrayal."  The project was previously set up at Warner Bros., but the option expired.  Silver stepped in and is expected to be a part of the company's distribution with Universal.  Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) was in talks with WB to direct---he is still considering Outsider if he can fit in into his schedule.  Warner Bros. had their sights set on Michael Fassbender for the lead role, but that does not seem to carry over to Silver.  Instead, Variety mentions that Tom Hardy is "interested in starring," schedule pending.