With Iron Man 3 recently having the second largest grossing weekend of all time, director Shane Black is most likely getting loads of new job offers. Sony has announced that Black will be co-writing and directing his next film, Doc Savage.

Director Shane Black has actually been working on this project for quite some time. Doc Savage has been described as a “mix of Sherlock Holmes’ deductive abilities, Tarzan’s outstanding physical abilities, Craig Kennedy’s scientific education, and Abraham Lincoln’s goodness.” It sounds like quite the project, and we imagine Black is looking forward to focusing his efforts on the project he’s been hoping to do for the last few years.

Collider recently caught up with Shane Black during Iron Man 3’s press junkets and Black led them to believe that Doc Savage would be his next film and that it was, “proceeding on pace.” He went on to say that, “I mean we’ve got to try to set a deal now to go back into that, so as Iron Man wound down I sort of reconnected with Sony who have been gracious to say, ‘We’ll wait a year and sit on these rights until you’re finished with this other picture that we don’t control.’ So they were really cool about it, they were really nice. So yeah I’m back on it.”

It appears and though Sony has simply been waiting for Shane to be free from his contract with Marvel and now they’ve distributed the press release below that confirms his next project while the press for Iron Man 3’s success remains strong.

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 7, 2013 –Sony Pictures Entertainment has closed its deal with Shane Black to co-write and direct Doc Savage, and Black is eyeing it as his next film, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of Production for the studio. Black co-wrote the screenplay with Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry, based on the hero of pulp novels, films, and comic books. Neal H. Moritz is producing the project with Ori Marmur through his Original Film banner. Michael Usland will also serve as a producer on the film.

Commenting on the announcement, Minghella said, “We couldn’t be more excited to be building a franchise from the ground up with Shane and this team. Shane and Neal have a fantastic understanding of the character and a great take on the material and we can’t wait to get this production up and running.”

One of the most popular characters of the pulps of the 1930s and 40s, Doc Savage was also popularized on radio, film and television. He is a scientist, physician, adventurer, inventor, explorer and researcher. He has been trained since birth to be nearly superhuman in every way, with outstanding strength, a photographic memory, and vast knowledge and intelligence. He uses his skills and powers to punish evil wherever in the world he finds it.

Black most recently co-wrote and directed Iron Man 3 which has grossed more than $700 million since opening a little more than one week ago. He previously wrote and directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Sam Dickerman and Lauren Abrahams are overseeing the title for Columbia Pictures along with Minghella. Black is represented by David Greenblatt, WME and his attorney Alan Hergott.

With the financial success of Iron Man 3, director Shane Black will most likely be offered projects left and right, similar to when Avengers director Joss Whedon landed such a massive deal with Marvel after his film’s success. We look forward to what Shane Black has to offer with Doc Savage, and hopefully we’ll find out more information about the film from Shane Black as the press for Iron Man 3 starts to die down.