Washington, June 14 -- Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey is set to star in a feature film adaptation of the iconic Mike Hammer book series, with 'True Detective' creator Nic Pizzolatto writing the script.

The project is being developed and produced by Skydance, which acquired the rights to Mickey Spillane's and Max Allan Collins' Mike Hammer franchise, as per Deadline.

Mike Hammer is a hard-boiled detective character who first appeared in the 1947 novel 'I, the Jury.'

With over 250 million copies sold worldwide, the Mike Hammer series is recognised as one of the most popular American mystery/thriller series of all time.

The character has inspired numerous other iconic characters, including Dirty Harry, Jack Reacher, and ...