Ever since The Lord of the Rings films, we’ve long known the amazing physical performance prowess of Andy Serkis. He’s proven that he can be the lead in films like Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and explored his ability to direct action as the Second Unit Director on the three Hobbit films. So, hey, why the hell not let him write, direct, and star in a new fantasy epic based on the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin?

The folks at The Tracking Board are reporting the news and that the project, given the title Steelskin, is being produced in the gritty manner as Snow White and the Huntsman. In fact, Fox is even apparently tapping that film’s screenwriter, Hossein Amini, to co-script. None of this is officially confirmed, of course, but it does sound mighty interesting.

There’s certainly a precedent now for fairy tales which eschew usual fairy tale trappings in favor of Tolkien-movie-esque battles, and since few people know those types of movies as well as Serkis, it seems like a great fit. And maybe he needs something like this to establish himself as an auteur and not just a fine actor who never gets his due because of performance capture. Might we suggest changing the title, though? It admittedly sounds like some sort of Magnum condom upgrade. But maybe that’s just us (?).

What do you think Serkis’ version of the story look like? And how can making someone spin straw into gold be an gritty epic? Are you happy he’s getting this apparent opportunity? Share and share alike in the comments below!

—
HT: The Tracking Board
Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Kyle Anderson is the Weekend Editor and a film and TV critic for Nerdist.com. Follow him on Twitter!