Since splitting with long-time partners Warner Bros. and taking his Silver Pictures company to new digs, producer Joel Silver isn’t letting the change in status dim his search for new scripts to develop. He’s just splashed the cash to buy Rich Wilkes’ spec script Straight Edge.

Wilkes, who is still best known for scribbling Vin Diesel-powered action thriller xXx, has written a thriller that finds a group of colourful characters involved in a heist that goes badly wrong. Set in Los Angeles, it boasts corrupt cops and LA gang members and, according to the Hollywood Reporter, is being described as a throwback to the likes of 48 Hours and Lethal Weapon. So we can certainly see why Silver bought it.

Currently, the producer is putting together a package that will include a director and cast, but there’s no word yet on whether it’ll see the light of day via Silver Pictures’ distribution deal with Universal.

The company is also involved with Liam Neeson thriller Non-Stop and Sean Penn action pic Prone Gunman. Wilkes, meanwhile, followed up xXx with writing gigs on Motley Crue biography adaptation The Dirt, Iron Fist for Marvel and the film version of cult TV series Kung Fu.