Variety reports that Philip Seymour Hoffman is in final negotiations to star in A Most Wanted Man, an adaptation of the bestselling spy novel by John le Carré. The story follows an on the run half-Chechen/half-Russian man (Hoffman I would assume) as he arrives in the Islamic part of present day Hamburg, Germany looking to find his late Russian father’s fortune.

While he searches, a female lawyer and British banker also become involved while a secret German spy group keeps surveillance over the whole situation. Andrew Bovell is handling screenwriting duties while Anton Corbijn will be directing, having signed on all the way back in June.

Corbijn’s last movie, 2010′s The American starring George Clooney, had a quick theatrical exit but for those who saw it the verdict was generally positive (especially on this very site). Praise was especially given to Corbijn himself and his abilities as a director. A Most Wanted Man looks to be another movie in that same vein, and it does have an intriguing premise but what scares me is the screenwriter.

Bovell wrote the script for 2010′s Edge of Darkness which was one of my least favorite of that year and the rest of his resume isn’t exactly sparkling. But if the A Most Wanted Man script is good enough to get both Hoffman and Corbijn on board, then maybe I should let that go. For now.

Hoffman will next be seen as lead in Paul Thomas Anderson‘s The Master and the indie A Late Quartet.

Have you read A Most Wanted Man? If so, did they cast right by having Hoffman star?