The Chris Pratt passion project Cowboy Ninja Viking has hired one of Thor: Ragnarok’s scribes to rewrite the comic book adaptation’s script. Based on the 2009 comic book of the same name, the idea for the Cowboy Ninja Viking film has been floating around Hollywood since 2010, and finally established some solid footing in 2014 when Pratt, just prior to the blockbuster success of Guardians of the Galaxy, signed on to play the lead.

However, due to the actor’s full schedule ever since, including roles in Jurassic World  in 2015 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017, Pratt hasn’t had a lot of time to start the film. And while he promised to deliver on the project in the interim, the Cowboy Ninja Viking film took a big step forward last month when it hired Game of Thrones helmer Michelle MacLaren to direct.

Now, as MacLaren settles into directing the film – which stars Pratt as a multiple personality disorder patient who channels the personalities of a cowboy, a ninja and a viking in order to find rogue members of the counter intelligence unit made up of similar patients – the production appears to be making another big move by hiring a new screenwriter. According to Deadline, Eric Pearson, who co-wrote the screenplay for Thor: Ragnarok, will be rewriting the draft penned by Craig Mazin, who himself rewrote the original script Deadpool screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were hired to pen in 2010.

Described as an “attitude-laced hard-edged actioner” by Deadline, Cowboy Ninja Viking is bound to also contain some quirky humor, given Pratt’s involvement. Perhaps that’s why Universal opted to hire Pearson, who without question helped director Taiki Waiti give Thor: Ragnarok its distinct, comedic flavor, part of the reason why the film was a hit with audiences to the tune of $853.4 million in ticket sales worldwide.

Whether Pearson will try to tap into the same comedic sensibilities that Pratt brought to Guardians of the Galaxy and its sequel for Cowboy Ninja Viking remains to be seen, but there’s no question that the screenwriter and the actor definitely speak the same language when it comes to tentpole moviemaking. In addition to writing Thor: Ragnarok and four Marvel One Shot shorts, Pearson’s also reportedly been a script doctor on such films as  Ant Man, Spiderman: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, the Avengers 4, and Universal and Legendary Pictures’ upcoming Pacific Rim: Uprising.

Source: Deadline