The subtitle of John Vaillant‘s book “The Tiger” proclaims it as “a true story of vengeance and survival.” In the current state of filmmaking, there are a handful of directors that would be perfect for the bill, and Bullhead director Michael Roskam is most definitely on the short list. His Best Foreign Film nominated flick about the illegal bovine growth market in Belgian was an aggressive and stunning portrayal of personal retribution and loneliness. According to Deadline Hollywood, Roskam is taking over the job vacated by Darren Aronofsky, and that’s undoubtedly good news. Not that it wouldn’t have been interesting to see Aronofsky’s take, but this way we get him shooting Noah and Roskam has another potential-filled project lined up to shine for. The story for The Tiger focuses on an animal activist who has to stop a tiger that’s killing people in a small Russian village. Beyond the plot, it will no doubt be brimming with subtext and metaphors. It’s also based on true stories, if you care about that sort of thing. At any rate, getting more Roskam films should be celebrated. The man is a fresh voice that will hopefully find the kind of footing that will lead to continued success and continued work. Now let’s hope Roskam doesn’t fall prey to the curse that often befalls foreign directors entering into the American filmmaking machine.

And they just got a powerhouse writer on board.