Simon West has signed on to direct the remake of the 1987 Burt Reynolds movie Heat. The Expendables 2 director replaces Brian De Palma on the remake of the action film. Jason Statham, whom West directed in 2011′s The Mechanic, stars in the enforcer role that Reynolds played in the original. The screenplay is from William Goldman, who wrote the 1987 script from his novel. Steven Chasman will produce for SJ Pictures alongside Statham. Quad Films, whose credits include The Intouchables  and Heart Breaker, are a co-producer on the film. Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales and has already made deals at AFM in territories including the UK, China, South America, Germany and Japan. Heat will start principal photography in February. West is repped by CAA.

Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.