

Superheroes saved Hollywood this summer, boosting box office to record heights and funneling $1 billion and counting into studio coffers. Now, emboldened by the success of The Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Wanted and Hellboy II, filmmakers are stampeding toward comic books and graphic novels to find bigger-than-life stories for the silver screen.



Longtime heavyweights DC Comics (Batman, Superman) and Marvel (Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four) are trotting out lesser-known characters from their catalogs. Ant Man (pictured at right)? Yes!

Joining the fray are relative upstarts including Dark Horse, Platinum Studios, Top Cow Productions, Oni Press and Devil’s Due Publishing, which are busy populating the superhero pipeline with a new generation of flawed crime-fighters.

Comic books have become so hot that some titles prompt a feeding frenzy from studio execs before they’re even published. For example, B. Clay Moore’s new assassin series Billy Smoke doesn’t hit stores until next year, but it’s already been picked up by Warner Bros. as a possible project for Lost star Matthew Fox.

“It’s kind of funny that comic book fans think the success of a published comic book is some kind of indicator as to how well a comic book will translate to the big screen,” said Moore. “Ultimately, what studios are interested in is a good idea.”

As pulp fiction fans pack their bags for next week’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, here’s a look ahead at some of the comic book movies heading for the big screen.

Punisher: War Zone

Irish he-man Ray Stevenson replaces Thomas Jane to play vengeful but virtuous vigilante Frank Castle in this sequel. His target? The demonic Jigsaw (Dominic West of TV’s The Wire).

Secret weapon: German director Lexi Alexander, formerly an actress who toured with the Mortal Kombat traveling show, proved her rock’em-sock’em mettle by making the soccer movie, Hooligans.

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Studio: Lionsgate

Release: December 5, 2008

Image courtesy Lionsgate

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The Spirit

Samuel Jackson (as The Octopus) and Scarlett Johansson (pictured, as Silken Floss) appear in this adaptation of Will Eisner’s classic noir-meets-supernatural graphic novel, with Gabriel Macht starring as the title character. But the real star is graphic novelist-turned-filmmaker Frank Miller (300, Sin City). Miller had the good sense to bring Eva Mendes on board to play the Spirit’s sultry ex-flame, Sand Saref.

Secret weapon: Cinematographer Bill Pope knows how to frame action scenes, having previously shot Spider-Man 3 and the Matrix sequels.

Publisher: DC Comics

Distributor: Lionsgate

Release: Dec. 25, 2008

Image courtesy DC Comics

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Watchmen

300 auteur Zack Snyder’s translation of Alan Moore’s grisly alternate universe yokes the director’s green-screen visual effects wizardry with a wildly eclectic ensemble cast. Jackie Earle Haley (famously creepy in Little Children) plays Rorschach, with Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan and Patrick Wilson playing Nite Owl.

Secret weapon: Carla Gugino, who bared all as the lesbian parole officer in Sin City, stands out from the mostly male cast as the original Silk Spectre AKA Sally Jupiter.

Publisher: DC Comics

Studio: Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures

Release: March 6, 2009

Image courtesy DC Comics

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Producer/star Hugh Jackman claws his way back into the role of alpha mutant Wolverine in this X-Men prequel, which explores his twisted rapport with Victor Creed/Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber). Dominic Monaghan (Lost) plays Beak.

Secret weapon: Director Gavin Hood, who won a Best Foreign Language Oscar for South African film Tsotsi, follows in the tradition of art house filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Bryan Singer and Jon Favreau who transitioned from the indie realm to make big-budget hits.

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release: May 1, 2009

Image courtesy Marvel Comics

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Scott Pilgrim Versus the World

Michael “Superbad” Cera stars in this coming-of-age adventure directed by Edgar Wright, the genre-savvy filmmaker responsible for Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Wright steers this adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic series, which co-stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Scott’s lust object, Ramona.

Publisher: Oni Press

Studio: Universal

Release: 2009 TBD

Image courtesy Oni Press

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Whiteout

Underworld‘s skintight-suited ass-kicker Kate Beckinsale stars in the movie version of Greg Rucka’s graphic novel. Set in the Antarctic and directed by Dominic Sena (Gone in Sixty Seconds, Halle Berry’s Swordfish), Whiteout casts Beckinsale as U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, who’s in a hurry to solve a murder before the sun disappears for six months. Gabriel Macht (The Spirit) co-stars.

Secret weapon: Reese Witherspoon — not. Hollywood’s highest-paid actress originally planned to star but evidently didn’t warm to early versions of the script.

Publisher: Oni Press

Studio: Warner Bros.

Release: 2009 TBD

Image courtesy Oni Press

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Iron Man 2

The story has yet to be written but director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. are locked and loaded for another Tony Stark adventure. The sequel, set to start filming in February, will also include Terrence Howard as military middleman, Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes.

Publisher: Marvel Comics



Studio: Paramount

Release: April 30, 2010

Image courtesy Paramount Pictures

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Thor



Director Matthew Vaughan is no longer attached to the project, according to Marvel Studios. Screenwriter Mark Protosevich is working on the script. Based on Norse mythology, Thor, aka the God of Thunder, draws his superpowers from a mighty source: his father is Odin, lord of pretty much everything.

Release: June 4, 2010

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Studio: Marvel Studios

Image courtesy Marvel Comics

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The First Avenger: Captain America

Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, X-2) is scripting the story about Steve Rogers’ transformation from wimpy everyman to Yankee fighting machine, thanks to secret meds and an intense dose of Vita-Rays.

Secret weapon: Patriotism. The big question is how the World War II-era character will take shape in these profoundly war-weary times.

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Studio: Marvel Studios

Release: May 6, 2011

Image courtesy Marvel Comics

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Ant Man

Coming off Scott Pilgrim, triple threat Edgar Wright is working on the script. Likening the story’s tone to Iron Man, the writer-director-producer told PiQ Mag: “It’s on that level of entertainment, really. It’s a big, high-concept, special effects comic book adaptation, and very character-led.”

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Release: In development

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The Avengers

The Incredible Hulk‘s final scene sets up — spoiler alert for late-arriving moviegoers — this ensemble effort, expected to include Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Ant Man as ticked-off teammates.

Secret weapon: Zak Penn is writing this adventure in tandem with Thor to ensure episodic continuity.

Release: July 2011

Publisher: Marvel Comics

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Last Call

Vasilis Lolos’s graphic novel series about the story of two phantom teenagers will be adapted by Evan Spiliotopoulis (The Box) for Universal.

Secret weapon: Barry Josephson, the veteran Hollywood player behind Wild Wild West and TV’s Bones, is producing.

Publisher: Oni Press

Release: In development

Image courtesy Oni Press

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Cowboys and Aliens

Imagine Entertainment moguls Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are backing this adaptation of the graphic novel about a showdown between American pioneers and Indians forced to band together against invaders from outer space. Robert Downey Jr. is reportedly considering the lead. Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus, the same guys who scripted Iron Man, are adapting the story.

Secret weapon: Cowboys‘ other producers include Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, playing a hot sci-fi hand these days as writer-producers for Fox’s upcoming series Fringe and the new Star Trek movie.

Publisher: Platinum Studio

Release: In development

See also:

Image courtesy Platinum Studio

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Spider-Man 4

No title, no finished script and no absolute commitment yet from Tobey Maguire or director Sam Raimi, who helmed Hollywood’s top-grossing trilogy and brought a true child-geek’s love of Steve Ditko’s original comics to the movies. However, Raimi professes optimism about the script-in-progress by James Vanderbilt.

Secret weapon: Persistent producer Laura Ziskin can be counted on to give a new Spider-Man her all, with or without Raimi.

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Release: In development

Image courtesy Sony Pictures

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The Goon

David Fincher, maestro of live-action creep-outs Se7en, Zodiac and Fight Club, teams with Dark Horse Entertainment to make a CG-animated feature based on Eric Powell’s graphic novel series about a hulking enforcer for the mob who keeps running into ghosts, zombies, skunk apes and other supernatural bad guys.

Secret weapon: Blur Studios crafts the animation in what will be its feature-film debut. The Venice, California-based outfit is best known for its cutting-edge TV spots and Oscar-nominated Gopher Broke short.

Publisher: Dark Horse

Release: In development

Image courtesy Dark Horse

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Billy Smoke

Though not officially committed, Lost star Matthew Fox is seriously interested in this graphic novel by B. Clay Moore and illustrator Eric Kim. Not available in stores until next year, Billy Smoke tells the story of an assassin on a mission to clear the planet of his own kind after experiencing a crisis of conscience. It’s easy to picture Fox, who played the brooding Racer X in Speed-Racer earlier this summer, grimacing his way through the role.

Publisher: Oni Press

Release: In development

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Hard Boiled

Sin City creator Frank Miller is working toward a movie adaptation of his own hyperviolent graphic novel trilogy that launched in 1990.

Publisher: Dark Horse

Release date: In development

Image courtesy Dark Horse

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Witchblade

From the same publisher that brought us Wanted comes the movie incarnation of this multiplatform hit. In comic book, cable TV and Japanese cartoon form, fans have been digging the woman armed with a superpowered “gauntlet” glove that takes care of business whenever she needs to wallop the bad guys.

Publisher: Top Cow

Release: In development

Image courtesy Top Cow Productions

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Hack/Slash

Artist Tim Seeley‘s graphic novel about a one-time crime victim who takes justice into her own hands and starts fighting back — with the help of a gas-masked accomplice named Vlad — is moving toward production. Attached to direct: Todd Lincoln, who worked on visual effects for From Dusk Till Dawn. Justin Marks (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) is writing the adaptation.

Publisher: Devil’s Due Publishing

Studio: Rogue Pictures/Universal

Release: In development

Image courtesy Devil’s Due Publishing

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Hex

Thomas Jane may play the role of Jonah Hex, a disfigured bounty hunter saddled with a bad temper and a weakness for booze. Actor Jane earlier proved his hard-ass cred in Marvel’s The Punisher.

Publisher: DC Comics

Release: In development

Image courtesy DC Comics

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Additional reporting by John Scott Lewinski