Direct James Gray (We Own the Night) has signed on to helm an adaptation of Mark Greaney's novel The Gray Man.  According to Deadline, "the former CIA operative-turned ultimate assassin must fight his way across Europe and past special forces teams from around the world in order to save the life of his handler and the handler's family."  The script is from Adam Cozad, who wrote the script for the upcoming Jack Ryan reboot starring Chris Pine.Gray says he has a plan to distinguish his film from other assassin-on-the-run films.  Hit the jump for details on his plan as well as what The Gray Man means for Gray's other potential projects.Deadline reports that Gray "has a very specific plan to shoot the film that will distinguish it from past assassin-on-the-run thrillers like the Jason Bourne films. That is to have the point of view come from the assassin."  Someone should tell Gray that telling a movie from the point of view from of your protagonist will not distinguish your movie from other assassin-on-the-run thrillers.  Says Gray about his approach to the genre as opposed to what Paul Greengrass did with the Bourne films:

"What he did was a documentary-style objective approach, and he owns that style. I want to do the opposite, which feels like a good way to sympathize with a professional hitman. You humanize him by never distancing yourself from his experience. This story has emotional stakes that enable me to do that."

That sounds amazing!  I especially liked it last year when I saw Anton Corbijn's The American.

As for Gray's other projects, he's also writing a "personal" film while Cozad does a re-write on The Gray Man.  Deadline makes no mention of Gray's attachment to the adaptation of The Lost City of Z, so it sounds like Gray has followed star Brad Pitt off the project.