Ron Howard will direct Universal Pictures' "The Parsifal Mosaic," an adaptation of the Robert Ludlum ("The Bourne Identity") spy thriller.

David Self is writing the screenplay which focuses on a CIA agent who thinks he has witnessed the execution of his love after she was identified as being a doubl agent for the KGB.

Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment produces alongside Jeffrey Weiner and Ben Smith of Captivate Entertainment.

Universal's seperately developing a fourth installment in the successful "Bourne" series of films with Paul Greengrass directing as well as "The Sigma Protocol."