Back in 1997, covert government assassin Al Simmons was introduced to the moviegoing masses as Spawn, a vengeful, supernatural hero intent on bringing his former employer, Jason Wynn (Martin Sheen), down to size.
Directed by Mark Dippe, the cult actioner proved to be a decidedly different spin on the superhero format, even if it failed to fully resonate with audiences. But Todd McFarlane’s long-gestating reboot offers the character another shot at the big time, and it seems the writer, director and all-around comic book veteran has his eye on some exciting talent for Blumhouse’s Spawn movie.
After being linked to the role a few weeks back, Deadline now brings word that Jamie Foxx has signed on to lead the adaptation, with the actor set to play the aforementioned Al Simmons. That’s hugely exciting news, and certainly bodes well for the project. Not to mention that with Foxx now firmly on board, we imagine the rest of the cast will begin to fill out very quickly.
Unfortunately, Deadline had no further names to drop, but if Blumhouse managed to pull in an Oscar winner for the titular role, it’s safe to say that the supporting players will be big names as well. Or at least, we assume they will be.
There’s still no concrete release date for when we may see the film on theater screens, but the undead Albert Simmons has been waiting an awful long time for his return to the big leagues. Though considering how Todd McFarlane recently teased the possibility of a launch in early 2019 – or, failing that, next Halloween, which is perhaps the most fitting time of year to drop a movie about a brooding half-demon – fans might not have to wait too much longer before Blumhouse’s “low-budget horror movie” takes flight.
Closer to home, and now that Spawn has located its lead, production is expected to commence in New York City over the coming months, which tells us that a 2019 release certainly isn’t out of the question. As always, watch this space for more.
