Helmer of the forthcoming Kennedy assassination drama PARKLAND, Peter Landesman, must have impressed enough people with his directorial debut as it’s been confirmed he will next rewrite and direct an adaptation of Charles Bowden’s acclaimed non-fiction novel, DOWN BY THE RIVER. It’s based on the true story of the younger brother of a high level DEA official and former undercover agent who was murdered in broad daylight in El Paso, Texas. It soon turned into a good old-fashioned tale of revenge after the agent went on to Mexico to hunt down the cartel kingpin who murdered his sibling.
Speaking about landing the project, Landesman commented on the source material first published in 2002:
Haunting and epic, it winds and digs deep into the grey zone of the US/Mexican border. We are using the true story chronicled in this book as a launching point, and the facts are like a punch in the gut. DEA agent Phil Jordan is a deeply compelling and complex cinematic character — courageous, brilliant, enraged, unstoppable. The desire to make this film for me is like a compulsion, and it’s great to be working with Scott [Stuber] again.
Source: Deadline
