As the nation's preeminent laconic Texan tough guy, it's surprising that Tommy Lee Jones hasn't done more Westerns in his storied career. But Jones aims to rectify that situation, as he's writing and directing a remake of The Cowboys, the 1972 John Wayne movie in which the Duke trains a bunch of youths to replace his departed ranch hands. Their mettle is tested by a cattle rustler, played by Bruce Dern in the original.
No word yet as to whether Jones will star in the film, but either way he can't start working on it until he finishes writing, directing and starring in The Homesman. In that film, Jones plays a claim jumper who teams up with Hilary Swank's "frontier woman" to escort three insane women from Nebraska to Iowa. The film boasts a supporting cast that includes John Lithgow, Tim Blake Nelson, Hailee Steinfeld, James Spader, and Meryl Streep.