Shane Black directing Cold Warrior

In a surprising move, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang writer/director Shane Black isn’t writing his next helming job – he’ll work from someone else’s script for spy thriller Cold Warrior.

Chuck Mondry is the scribe behind the film, which will find a spy from the Cold War era dragging himself out of retirement to help a younger agent battle a new domestic terrorism threat. His skills are needed because the strings of the new plot are being pulled by Russia, reports Variety . Universal is plunking down the cash for the film.

It’s a return to thriller fare for Black, who made his name writing the likes of Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout, but a distinct change of pace from the part noir/part comedy stylings of Kiss Kiss.

Nice to see he’s stretching himself – though based on how good his first stab at directing was, we want to see more double duty jobs from Black.