Richard Loncraine has stepped in to direct the thriller TheWrong Element starringHarrison Ford and Paul Bettany, which Warner Bros Pictures and Village Roadshow Picturesare co-financing.

Mark Pellington had previously been attached to direct but pulledout after a family tragedy.

Based on Joe Forte's screenplay, the story centres on a securityexpert who must steal vast sums of money from a bank and transfer the cash inorder to save the lives of his kidnapped wife and daughter.

Armyan Bernstein will produce for Beacon Communications along withJon Shestak. Jeff Clifford and Dana Goldberg will serve as executive producersfor Warner Bros and Village Roadshow with Bruce Berman.

Loncraine recentlydirected Bettany in Wimbledon and his other credits include Richard III and hit HBO pictures My House In Umbriaand The GatheringStorm. No start date hasbeen set for the project.