Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot was published in 1989 and since then an adaptation of John Callahan’s autobiography has always been in mind with names such as the late Robin Williams circling the title role for years. Now, director Gus Van Sant (Milk) has taken on the job and could possibly find himself reuniting with Joaquin Phoenix, who is set to star as the quadriplegic cartoonist.

At the age of 21, Callahan became paralyzed in a car accident and turned to drawing as a form of therapy. Over the years his unique work was published in the New Yorker, Penthouse, and Playboy before his death in 2010. Iconoclast and Anonymous Content are producing the film and will be titled the same as Callahan’s autobiography.

Van Sant gave Phoenix a shot at the lead role in his 1995 comedy To Die For and since then they have come close to working together again. Most recently, Van Sant’s The Sea Of Trees had Phoenix in mind for the lead role, but it eventually went to Oscar winner Mathew McConaughey. Charles-Marie Anthonioz, Mourad Belkeddar, and Nicolas Lhermitte will produce for Iconoclast, and Steve Golin will produce for Anonymous Content.

Phoenix is a three-time Oscar nominated actor who last appeared on screens in Woody Allen’s Irrational Man. He has a slew of interesting projects lined up in various stages of development. He recently completed Lynne Ramsay’s thriller You Were Never Really Here and is currently filming Mary Magdalene alongside Rooney Mara (Carol) and Chiwetel Ejifor (12 Years a Slave); Garth Davis (Lion) directs. Phoenix is also rumored to star in Jacques Audiard’s upcoming The Sisters Brothers and Casey Affleck’s upcoming Far Bright Star.

We shall stay tuned to the latest developments.