‘Deadlock’ Novel Being Made Into Movie ‘Gatekeeper’, Matthew Michael Carnahan Directs

EXCLUSIVE: Mosul filmmaker Matthew Michael Carnahan is set to direct The Gatekeeper, which is currently in development for Amazon MGM Studios and Di Bonaventura Pictures.

The pic is based on New York Times bestselling author James Byrne‘s novel Deadlock and follows Desmond “Dez” Aloysius Limerick, an unconventional multi-talented ex-operative. After a chance meeting saving the life of a reporter, Dez stumbles across a vast conspiracy and must now stop the forces intent on keeping their secrets safe. While the character was first introduced in Byrne’s novel, The Gatekeeper, the project, which was adapted by Oscar winning scribe Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential), is mostly based on Byrne’s second Dez Limerick novel, Deadlock, which is published by Minotaur Books. The third novel in the Dez Limerick series is Chain Reaction while the fourth is titled Storm Warning.

Di Bonaventura Pictures and Pouya Shahbazian are producing the project.

Most recently, Helgeland wrote and directed Paramount+’s Finestkind, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, Jenna Ortega and Toby Wallace which world premiered at TIFF 2023 and was loosely based on the scribe/filmmaker’s real-life experience as a commercial fisherman in his early 20s. In addition to winning an Adapted Screenplay Oscar for L.A. Confidential, Helgeland was also nominated for an Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Mystic River. His directing & writing credits include Payback starring Mel Gibson,  A Knight’s Tale starring Heath Ledger,  42 starring Chadwick Boseman,  Legend starring Tom Hardy. As solely a screenwriter, Helgeland wrote Man On Fire and Green Zone. He is represented by WME and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer et al. 

Carnahan’s directorial debut Mosul premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019. Carnahan also wrote World War Z for Paramount, which grossed over half billion at the worldwide box office; and Deepwater Horizon, which was a critical success and produced by Di Bonaventura Pictures. Carnahan is represented by CAA and attorney Stuart Rosenthal.