A return to Blade Runner is being put on hold, because Deadline tells us that Ridley Scott has officially signed for and will next make The Counselor, a dramatic thriller written by No Country for Old Men author and living master of the written word, Cormac McCarthy. This comes less than two weeks after the director entered talks to helm the project, which Deadline sums up as what “might well be traveling on the fastest track toward production of any film in recent memory.” You’re excited, right? Well, with this signing comes the rumor that Michael Fassbender is getting in line to reunite with his Prometheus director for a production that should begin on May 1st.

While a “group of top actors” have given the script a gander and want in on all the fun, the helmer and star have been talking up the project recently, to the point where there’s “a high likelihood” that Fassbender ends up leading. This doesn’t necessarily rule out any of the other actors, however — there’s always going to be supporting parts, and it’s said that two female roles factor into the proceedings to great effect.

With this starring role, the Irishman would play “a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip a toe in to the drug business without getting sucked down,” but is soon forced to “survive it and get out of a desperate situation.” You can see why comparisons to No Country have been springing up since the screenplay was bought in mid-January; I’ll take it.

So we’re all in agreement that this is terrific news, yes? There are more than a couple of reasons why it’s probably the best I’ve heard all day, but I’m gravitating toward this: The last level-headed, solid dramatic film Scott did was all the way back in 2003, with Matchstick Men, and that’s — don’t argue with me here — one of his finest efforts. The Counselor is obviously going to be on a different register than a zippy con man tale, but story specifics don’t really matter when, for yours truly, a No Country-like tale starring Michael Fassbender is the stuff dreams are made of.

Does this development on The Counselor leave you satisfied?