The Academy Award-winning director of the "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist," William Friedkin, is making a comeback this year with another adaptation of a popular novel. This time, he will be adapting "The Winter of Frankie Machine," according to an article on Deadline.

What has made Friedkin's star power so strong over the years is his commitment to remaining true to his source material. He even brought in William Peter Blatty, the original author of "The Exorcist," to write the screenplay for the film to stay as close to the original story as possible. That could have been why the film earned so much at the box office, pulling in over $200 million domestic and over $400 million worldwide.

Of course, in the case of "The Exorcist," Friedkin was limited by the technology available to him at the time. But now, there is no limit to what the director can do on the screen, and his unique talent could shine through with his new film.

This time, Friedkin will be trying his hand at some mobster material with "The Winter of Frankie Machine." The story follows a complex turn of events, as Frankie Machianno, who is a retired hit man for the mob, is forced out of retirement due to sadistic events that unfold. In his retirement he runs a bait shop. But when he is called upon to help settle a mob dispute, he's forced to bring out his mobster alter ego "Frankie Machine" to defend himself and take revenge on those who set him up to be killed in the incident.

Friedkin has already said that his main character's real-life prototype would be Walton Goggins ("Justified," "The Shield," "Sons of Anarchy"). He likened Goggins' skills and build to what he would want for his main character in the film to play the hit man.