Brian Helgeland’s ‘Outside Man’ — Starring Ice Cube and Tommy Lee Jones — Lands at Focus Features Ahead of November Shoot

What an odd pairing, and yet so much potential. Focus Features has picked up worldwide rights to "Outside Man," the latest from Oscar-winning filmmaker Brian Helgeland, who will write and direct. Ice Cube and Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones star, and cameras are set to roll in November.

When the package first hit the market back in April, it was already drawing buyer interest, so it's no surprise to see it land a home. And Focus feels like a natural fit for a character-driven two-hander like this.

I'm already sold on this. A classic odd-couple scenario. Cube's laid-back, intimidating cool playing against Jones' bone-dry wit and gruffness. Put them together and you can already imagine the rhythm. Now, is the script any good? Helgeland is no slouch in screenwriting, much moreso than directing, so there is potential.

The story follows a former Chicago mob enforcer (Cube) who, after leaving prison, retreats to rural Texas and goes to work for a retired Texas Ranger and skilled craftsman (Jones), forming an unlikely friendship.

The project marks a reunion between Jones and Helgeland following their collaboration on "Finest Kind." Now, "Finest Kind" was not good, overcooked, but Helgeland is a talented screenwriter, having penned the scripts for "L.A. Confidential," "Mystic River," and "Man on Fire." His directorial output has been shakier, but he's still helmed "Payback," "A Knight's Tale," and "42," with his other works being "The Order," "Legend," and "Finest Kind."

As for Jones, at this stage in his career, he brings the presence of a true screen legend who can elevate material through sheer force of presence. Now in his later years, he carries decades of memorable performances — from "The Fugitive," to "Men in Black," to "Lincoln," the weathered man of "No Country for Old Men," and his intense Clay Shaw in "JFK." A legend.

With a distributor locked and production just weeks away, "Outside Man" is officially moving. Here's hoping Helgeland the writer shows up in full force.