Stephen Gaghan (Syriana) is gearing up to direct the crime thriller Candy Store, with both Denzel Washington and Brad Pitt circling the two lead roles.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film is being set up at Lionsgate, with Gaghan having written the script as well.

Candy Store is described as a “two-hander” crime thriller with meaty roles for the two main characters. A highly trained deep-cover operative starts his life over in Brooklyn as a beat cop only to discover the global organization he was dedicated to fighting also is operating in his new backyard.

The article emphasizes the the actors are in early talks and no deals are done. In fact, the source of the article described the talks as being in the “nascent stage.”

Still, the mere fact that this report is well on its way to becoming a legitimate possibility is impressive, to say the least. One needn’t remind even the most casual fan of film that Washington and Pitt are about as big of names as one could get to for an acting lead. The idea that Candy Store may benefit from both of their presence is pretty significant.

As if to add just a little light to the fire, the report also states that Jamie Foxx was said to be interested in one of the roles, as well. Foxx, who is on his way to renewed stardom with Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, would serve as added heft to the film should either Washington or Pitt fall through.

Gaghan, in addition to helming the terrific Syriana, has won a writing Academy Award for Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic. He has also written the upcoming Will Smith starrer After Earth, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Should this project come together, it will undoubtedly be one of the more high-profile projects around. Are you as intrigued by this news as we are?