With the rapid frequency that Nicolas Cage signs onto projects, a promising one is bound to turn up now and then. After a horrendous streak including Season of the Witch, Trespass, Seeking Justice, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Stolen and many more, it looks like we finally have a bright spot.

Reports are coming in from Toronto that financing has been secured by Worldview Entertainment for a film titled Joe, set to be directed by David Gordon Green. While his recent duds of Pineapple Express and The Sitter were disappointing, this one sees the director headed back to his roots in both location and material.

The Southern drama, scripted by Gary Hawkins from Larry Brown‘s novel, would star Cage as “an ex-con who becomes the unlikeliest of role models to 15 year old Gary Jones, the oldest child of a homeless family ruled by a drunk, worthless father. Together they try to find a path to redemption and the hope for a better life in the rugged, dirty world of small town Mississippi.”

With production set to begin in November in Texas, this can only mean Green’s Suspiria remake, which was set to be shooting this fall, is no longer happening. After a few casting updates indicating a promise, it looks to be sitting idly in pre-production.

Remember that Green also has that secret road comedy with Emile Hirsch and Paul Rudd in the can. There’s no word on when that one is seeing a release, but Sundance 2013 wouldn’t be a bad guess. As for Suspiria, hopefully we’ll get the full scoop soon, but it simply sounds like he was more interested in this project, and when it comes to Cage finally finding seemingly strong material, we are just as intrigued. Check out a quote from Green below.

When Larry Brown wrote the novel Joe, he instantly created an iconic character of contemporary Southern literature. It is with great excitement that I’ve been able to work with Nicolas Cage to design an absolute and unexpected performance piece that is woven from the darkness, beauty, humor and environment of this material.

Are you looking forward to Cage starring in a DGG film?