Matthew McConaughey in talks to headline feature on Mike Hammer

Los Angeles: Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey is in negotiations to feature in Skydance’s upcoming feature film based on the iconic private investigator Mike Hammer.

According to the entertainment news outlet Deadline, Nic Pizzolatto will pen the script for the film.

The project also reunites McConaughey and Pizzolatto, who previously collaborated on "True Detective". The 2014 series featured the actor in the role of Rustin Cohle and was created by Pizzolatto.

The untitled feature will be produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger, alongside Guymon Casady under the production banner Entertainment 360. Benjamin Forkner and Ken F. Levin will produce for Pendleton.

Hammer is considered to be one of the most popular figures of the detective genre. More than 250 million copies of Mike Hammer books have been sold globally.

Skydance has acquired the rights to the franchise by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, with plans to develop and produce the bestselling book series into a feature film.