Eminem is to become a cowboy.

The rapper has signed up to star in the big screen remake of classic US TV
show ‘Have Gun Will Travel’.

Hollywood bosses are hoping the semi-retired star can repeat the critical
and box office success he had with his 2002 semi-biopic ‘8 Mile’.

According to America’s Variety newspaper, Eminem will play a modern version
of the show’s hero, Paladin - a professional gunfighter who works as a hired
killer in post-Civil War America.

Richard Boone played the lead role in the TV series - which ran from 1957
until 1963 - and his character left a trademark calling card featuring the
figure of a white chess knight and the words “Have Gun Will Travel. Wire
Paladin, San Francisco.”

Producers are believed to be considering relocating the movie’s setting to
Detroit - Eminem’s hometown - and are even considering asking the star to
provide a number of songs for the soundtrack.

The film will see the rapper come out of semi-retirement. The hip-hop star -
real name Marshall Mathers III - announced he was taking time out last year
and went into rehab after getting addicted to sleeping pills.

In that time Eminem also re-married, and split from, estranged wife Kim
Mathers, and suffered the loss of his best man, rapper Proof, who was shot
dead after a bar brawl.