Padilha and writer Nick Schenk (Gran Torino) are collaborating on a film called Tri-Border, about the dangerous, crime-ridden border area between Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. The two of them are doing research there now. Hopefully they’ve got a RoboGuard or something with them. The script follows a Boston-born DEA agent who’s forced to go to Tri-Borderville, in order to track down a top drug dealer.

Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal were prepping a thriller for a year called Triple Frontier, about the same location. However, they also had a project in storage about some guy named Osama bin Laden, which for some mysterious reason has taken precedence for them now. (Hollywood Reporter)

MGM has hired Zetumer to pen their Robocop reboot, to be helmed by gritty Brazilian filmmaker Jose Padilha (Elite Squad). Zetumer’s credits include a draft of a Dune movie, a draft of Bourne 4, and a draft of a draft of a rewrite of something else big, I’m sure. However, he’s never been given an on-screen credit. Because of this, maybe MGM will insist on putting him into a robot body that will allow him to write stronger and faster than ever before. Nothing gives a writer more confidence than becoming a cyborg. (/Film)

Padilha hasn’t had much recognition here stateside, but rocked Brazilian box offices with Elite Squad and last year’s sequel, Elite Squad 2. The latter was Brazil‘s highest grossing film, pulling in $60mm. Both these films are taut crime dramas, so look for a focus on characters and story. Did someone say “gritty?”

A Robocop remake has actually been kicked around for a while, at one pointBlack Swan‘s Darren Aronofsky attached to it until he realized that he was Darren Aronofsky and the project was a RoboCop remake. The word is that this time around they would like to make RoboCop a legitimate franchise, instead of just following the original with a bunch of cinematic abortions and jetpacks. (Deadline)