Paramount Pictures has acquired a remake of the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller Vertigo, with Robert Downey Jr. eyeing the lead role of a former police detective who is forced to retire after a trauma leaves him with acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights) and vertigo. Deadline also writes that Steven Knight, who was recently announced to be penning the script for an upcoming Star Wars film, will also work as screenwriter on this project.

It’s undoubtedly a daunting adaptation to take on, given the original’s cultural status and star power (Downey Jr.’s role belonged to frequent Hitchcock collaborator James Stewart). After all, it was voted the greatest film ever made in 2012’s Sight & Sound poll and came in second just last year.

Davis Entertainment’s John Davis and John Fox are producing alongside Team Downey’s Robert and Susan Downey.

Previous remakes of Hitchcock’s work include Gus Van Sant’s 1998 Psycho, which received negative reviews initially but later gained a cult following and, also in ’98, the Michael Douglas-starring A Perfect Murder, which took a new approach to Dial M for Murder.

There’s no word yet on who might direct the pic, nor when production might begin, but stay tuned for more information as we hear it!