If there’s one thing I took away from Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino, it’s how much I miss rogue antiheroes that act recklessly without regard for consequences and public sensibilities. It’s all about stepping a few feet over the line, especially with cops. All too often now we get one of two extremes" it’s either Joe Fridays or Bad Lieutenants. Or A-Team shit! I need more Shafts or Liam Neesons in Taken. I want to see torture, inhumane treatment of suspects and at least one bad guy shot for mouthing off. I don’t want well-choreographed explosions or people jumping cars into helicopters. I want Wesley Snipes and David Caruso in the criminally underseen Christopher Walken drug film King Of New York. David O. Russell apparently agrees with me.

According to Deadline, Three Kings director David O. Russell has pitched a new franchise to New Line that would see Ice Cube play a plainclothes detective that isn’t afraid to use his weapon. Stylistically, it would be an homage to gritty, early 70s dramas like Dirty Harry. Pitching R-rated dramas is becoming an increasing rarity in Hollywood today, but it’s nice to see at least one studio still believes the format can work, even if, in all likelihood, it costs them a little money on the back end.

No word yet on when New Line might give the go ahead, or who might be brought in to co-star, but if this progresses it’s a clear victory for sick bastards like me that just want to see drug dealers shot in cold blood.