Deadline is exclusively reporting that Leigh Whannell is in negotiations with Universal Pictures to direct the Wolfman project with Ryan Gosling in the lead role as the studio plan to fast track the project into production.

The report states that Leigh Whannell will also be writing the treatment for the film, based on the original idea of his own inspired by the 1941 monster classic, which focuses Lawrence Talbot being bitten by a werewolf and becoming one himself. Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo will be writing the script.

Leigh Whannell and Ryan Gosling have been looking to work on a project together for some time, but Whannell originally turned down the offer to direct The Wolfman, until Lauren Schuker Blum asked him to reconsider. Whannell is on a roll at the minute after directing Upgrade, which earned $17m worldwide on a $3m budget, and Universal’s The Invisible Man, which earned $129.4m worldwide on a $7m budget.

Jason Blum’s Blumhouse will be producing the project as will Ryan Gosling.