James Mangold Returning to Roots With Film Adaptation of Don Winslow's Cop Novel The Force

Deadline has reported that James Mangold is returning to his filmmaking roots by developing and directing an adaptation of The Force, the forthcoming novel from acclaimed crime writer Don Winslow. This will be Mangold’s first film since the transcendent Logan, and a return to form from one of his first films, Cop Land.

The Force follows dirty cop Denny Malone in what sounds like an epic, sprawling tale about greed and corruption within the New York police force. Advanced readers have already given Winslow’s book rave reviews, with Stephen King calling it “mesmerizing, a triumph. Think The Godfather, only with cops,” which is high praise—it sounds like the film version has the potential to be in the same vein as something like The Departed.

Winslow’s novel, The Force, drops on June 20. Mangold’s film has no set release date yet, but that should be announced within the next few months. Revisit Cop Land and the rest of the director’s filmography with Paste’s recent retrospective here.

James Mangold Returning to Roots With Film Adaptation of Don Winslow’s Cop Novel The Force