I do not think so. I think if given the right property and screenplay, John can return to make more BADASS movies like the ones he made in the 80’s.
Variety says the film tells the story of “two war veterans who hunt each other in a deadly game of cat and mouse”. Could this be the film to revive McTiernan’s career? It’s certainly in his wheelhouse, as almost all of his films have had an element of cat-and-mouse to them. It’s been a while since I’ve been impressed by a McTiernan picture, but I’d love to see him make a comeback.
With Evan Daugherty’s script to work off of, that may just be a possibility, too. Daugherty’s Shrapnel script has received high marks, and he’s obviously been making an impression in Hollywood since he was at one point hired on to pen a new draft of the Masters of the Universe movie.
Let’s hope McTiernan’s legal battle does not hurt him in the long run so we can see this movie.