Hollywood must have a thing for comic book writer Mark Millar, because at this point it’s easier to make a list of which of his works aren’t getting movie deals than those that are. We’ve already seen Wanted and two Kick-Ass films, and this fall Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of The Secret Service hits theaters.
Last week, we reported that Superior had been picked up by Fox, which joins other in-development adaptations like Starlight, Nemesis, and Kindergarten Heroes. Today, we have another title to add to that list, as THR reports that Millar’s upcoming comic MPH is also headed to the big screen.
Transformers and G.I. Joe: Retaliation producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura has optioned the film rights to the comic, which Millar co-created with Duncan Fegredo. At this point, there’s no studio attached, as di Bonaventura wants to get a screenwriter on board first. Given how hot Millar is in Hollywood though, you can bet that someone will pick this up pretty quickly.
The comic, arriving on May 21st, centers on four 19-year olds who get their hands on a mysterious street drug, which gives them the ability to move at light-speed for seven days. Millar himself has described the premise as “Fast and Furious without cars,” and seems excited about working with di Bonaventura, saying:
“[Di Bonaventura is] one of the few real moguls in the industry, having hired Chris Nolan for Batman and bought the rights to the Harry Potter books when he was head of Warner Bros. and then of course he’s the guy behind the Transformers movies. So he’s a guy who really knows how to make huge pictures and he’s somebody I’ve always wanted to work with on one of the bigger Millarworld adaptations.”
With the film still in early development, it could be a while before we see it hit the big screen. There’s definitely reason to get excited though, as an MPH movie does have potential. From the sounds of it, this project could take on more of a blockbuster-sized scale than something like, say, Kick-Ass, especially with a producer like di Bonaventura on board to help bring it to life.
As always, we’ll continue to bring you more updates as they arise. For now though, tell us, what do you think of Hollywood’s current obsession with Millar?
