Deadline reports that Franco and his younger brother Dave were initially meeting with Kinberg about starring together in the drama, The Hardy Men, an adult take on the classic YA novels, The Hardy Boys. It seems those meetings led to Kinberg pitching Multiple Man to James... perhaps there's another character that was pitched to Dave?
Source: https://deadline.com/2017/11/james-franco-multiple-man-simon-kinberg-wonder-woman-allan-heinberg-fox-marvel-hero-1202209591/