A remake of the classic Western film The Gunfighter, starring Gregory Peck, is in its early phase of development at 20th Century Studios. According to reports, Ethan Hawke is part of the project as a co-screenwriter. He is writing the screenplay along with Shelby Gaines. The project is yet to have a director.

The 1950 film revolves around a gunfighter, named Jimmy Ringo, played by Peck, and the problems he gets into as he goes to town in search of true love. Hawke earlier described it as one of the films he likes the most. In the series Two for One on Turner Classic Movies, Hawke stated that he discovered The Gunfighter after he listened to Bob Dylan's 'Brownsville Girl,' which refers to a western starring Peck. The actor-writer-director added that filmmaker Richard Linklater helped him know the name of the Western film.

Of late, Hawke wrote, produced, and directed Wildcat, which had a limited theatrical release last year and stars his daughter Maya Hawke. As an actor, Hawke's upcoming projects include the film Blue Moon, with director Linklater and co-star Andrew Scott, and the series The Sensitive Kind.