Spawn is the comic book movie project that has been stuck in development hell for years – and it may yet emerge one day if Jamie Foxx has his way.
Todd Macfarlane, the creator of the character Spawn,remains determined to get another version of the film off the ground, so much so that he’s been dragging the project through development hell for what seems like years now. Despite stories to the contrary a couple of years ago, Jamie Foxx, who has been attached to the production for quite some time now, hasn’t departed the planned film. In fact, Foxx has been talking the project up in a manner which suggests he is confident it eventually will happen.
In his words, “I will tell you this. I talk to Todd and the thing is that we want to craft something that is so special because I remember seeing the first Spawn movies and then seeing the HBO versions and so we have something that is almost like an original, without giving too much away.”
Foxx has pointed to the success of Joker as a way to demonstrate to studios that unconventional comic book characters can headline mid-budget movies and still rake in untold amounts of cash. Plus, it sounds like he’s a fan of the screenplay too. “It starts in a way that is so cool,” explains Foxx, told comicbook.com, “and it’s not big budget, you know? And that’s what I love about it. It’s sort of like how when they did the Joker. The Joker, yes, is here, but the story about this man who was in fire, it’s the same with what we’re doing with this.”
It sounds like this planned take on the character is going to be somewhat different to the comic book and most definitely veer away from the 1997 movie, which doesn’t have too many fans that will step up to bat for it. Macfarlane has spoken in the past about not getting the first screenplay for this reimagining right, and the creator’s reluctance to secure the film anything less than a theatrical release is reported to be another sticking point.
Whatever happens next, you’ve got to admire Macfarlane’s devotion to getting the film made that he wants to make and his devotion to protecting the cinematic fortunes of the character that he created. Let’s hope he and Foxx can make the project happen the fashion they’re hoping to without the film languishing in limbo for too much longer.
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