Forget a cheap effort, it now looks like Brian DePalma will be involved in "The Untouchables: Capone Rising," Paramount's proposed prequel to the 1987 hit film about lawman Eliot Ness's takedown of Al Capone. De Palma has joined forces with "Untouchables" producer Art Linson, with whom he recently worked on "The Black Dahlia," on the project reports Variety.

Linson got the prequel going at Paramount, drafting "Rounders" scribes Brian Koppelman and David Levien to write a film that centers on young Al Capone's arrival in Chicago and his rise to criminal kingpin status. The drama charts his collision course with Irish cop Johnny Malone, the character played in the original pic by Sean Connery. Antoine Fuqua was originally attached to direct.

De Palma became interested in the subject matter over the past two months. The director and Linson will continue developing the project with the scribes. Their hope is to get the prequel into production next year.

Thanks to 'Grant'.