With the European Film Market gearing up at the Berlin Film Festival, loads of new movies are being announced, in the hope they’ll pick up sales at the event. One of the latest to be revealed is a remake of the 1987 Burt Reynolds feature film Heat, with Jason Statham set to star and Brian De Palma directing the action film from a script adapted by two-time Oscar winner William Goldman (Witness, Butch Cassidy).

Goldman also wrote the original 1987 screenplay and the novel of the same name it’s based on. Both the modern take as well as the film from the 80’s are based on Goldman’s novel of the same title.

The action-thriller tells the story of a recovering gambling addict (Statham) who makes his living providing protection in the rough edges of the gambling world. Statham’s character refuses to resort to gunplay, strictly using hand and edged weapon combat. When a dear friend is brutally beaten by a high-rolling mobster, he helps her get her revenge and he ends up in more trouble than he ever imagined.

Heat will commence principal photography in France in late 2012 or early 2013.