Universal is eying a summer 2011 shoot for the Dark Horse comic adaptation R.I.P.D., when star Ryan Reynolds has an open slot in his busy schedule.  But the studio is hoping to land a director in the near future to get a head start on the intensive effects/design required for the production.  Last week, it looked like McG (Terminator Salvation) was in line for the gig, but he opted to focus on the romantic comedy This Means War instead.  (McG informed us in a recent interview that stars Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy were readying for a September 13th start date.)

According to 24 Frames, director Robert Schwentke has met with the studio, and is in contention for the job with McG out of the picture.  Schwentke recently gained experience adapting an action-heavy comic for the screen with Red, which hits theaters October 15th.  The buzz surrounding that project --- following the revelation of a crazy fun trailer --- has reportedly helped his chances at Universal.  Hit the jump for more details on the project.

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Producer Neal Moritz described the project like so in an interview he conducted with us this spring:

“It’s about two cops, one recently dead and a gunslinger who’s been dead for hundreds of years who work on the Rest in Peace department – which is the police department of the dead. And they basically… it takes place on a normal day and it’s about trying to keep the dead quiet.”

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Here's the official synopsis via Dark Horse:

Welcome to the Rest In Peace Department -- the devoted, yet dead, officers of divine law enforcement "patrolling the deadbeat...reporting to one boss." Yep -- THAT boss. Nick Cruz was murdered by an unknown assailent, at the height of his personal and professional life. Now he's traded a hundred years of service to the R.I.P.D. in exchange for a shot at finding who killed him. Unfortunately his search will take him to Hell and back -- literally!