I love Michael Mann. Not in a Brokeback Mountain way, but in the same way I love Cameron Crowe. I’ll see anything with Mann’s name attached as director even if the subject matter, stars, or what-have-you wouldn’t interest me (see Vice, Miami.) It’s not that he’s never let me down, but the guy who directed Heat, Collateral, and Manhunter certainly gets the benefit of the doubt in my book.

Combine Mann, Leonard DiCaprio, and a film noir set in a 1930’s movie studio and I’m ready to buy advanced tickets right now. I’ll even pay an outrageous service charge. Variety says Mann is developing a script with The Avaiator screenwriter John Logan and DiCaprio is “poised” to play a studio detective who investigates the murder of a starlet’s husband. The untitled script is reported to be strong by people who rate the strength of scripts as part of their daily activities and includes appearances by real life figures of the era like Judy Garland and Bugsy Siegel. Well, not them, but people playing them. Shooting is supposed to start as early as June if Mann can lock-up a financing deal.

Mann and Logan previously worked together to develop the script for The Aviator, but Mann eventually gave it to Martin Scorsese to direct and stayed on as a producer. His teaming with DiCaprio, who has been on fire with his performances since Catch Me If You Can in 2002, almost guarantees that another L.A. Confidential more than a possibility. Here’s to hoping they get on the soundstage soon before something happens to muck this up.