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In 140-characters via Twitter, Production Weekly is giving us all the relevant details this afternoon about a new project in development involving awesome action guy Jason Statham and Con Air director Simon West. West, who is currently filming the Antonio Banderas led historical drama Dali in Spain, is said to be in talks to direct Statham in a “reinvention” of the 1977 Michael Winner directed film The Mechanic starring Charles Bronson. The film followed the story of an aging hitman who is looking to retire from the business when he takes on a ruthless and efficient apprentice. The veteran killer teaches his new apprentice everything he knows, creating a deadly team of assassins that travels together — that is, until the pupil’s ruthless nature puts them at odds.

Having just seen Crank: High Voltage this past weekend, I’m once again convinced that Jason Statham is the ultimate B-movie action guy of our generation. That said, why not start remaking the films of Charles Bronson, the ultimate B-movie action guy of a past generation? It seems to be the natural order of things.

The problem I have with this news is that this project would just pile on top of the already deep development list for Simon West. He’s currently attached to three films with 2009/10 release dates as well as a pilot for Fox called Human Target starring Fringe’s Mark Valley. I’m not saying that West can’t get these projects in, I’m just saying that we should probably wait and see before we start talking seriously about this project.

Have you seen The Mechanic? If so, what do you think of Jason Statham starring in a remake?