Brett Ratner to direct "The Boys From Brazil" remake

Brett Ratner, who directed the "Rush Hour" films and this summer's "X-Men: The Last Stand," has signed on to direct a remake of 1978's "The Boys From Brazil."

Ratner will produce the film with his Rat Entertainment partner Jay Stern and Granada's Robert Green. Richard Potter and Matthew Stravitz will write the screenplay.

The original film starred Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier and was based on a novel by Ira Levin. In the film, a war criminal hunter discovers a secret plot to clone Hitler and restart the Third Reich.

Ratner's remake will replace the war criminals with Neo-Nazis and introduce a more contemporary feel.

"The original was a flawed film with a brilliant concept," Ratner said to Variety. "You no longer have to spend time explaining cloning as you did then."

Ratner said he will most likely start working on the film once he wraps up the third "Rush Hour" movie, which starts shooting next month.