Frank Miller, creator of Sin City, 300 and other popular graphic novels, is turning to the works of another famous comic artist for his third feature film effort. After co-directed the movie version of Sin City and its upcoming sequel with Robert Rodriguez, Miller will write and direct a feature film based on Will Eisner’s legendary comic-book The Spirit, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The project will be formally announced at the San Diego Comic-Con Int’l on Saturday, with Miller in attendance.
Eisner first introduced The Spirit in 1940 as a Sunday newspaper insert. The comic centered on Denny Colt, a police detective who was presumably killed at the hands of a villainous criminal. Operating out of a secret lair in a cemetery, Colt battles evildoers as a masked mystery man.
The Spirit was adapted as a television movie in 1987 with Sam Jones (Flash Gordon) in the lead role. Eisner reportedly disapproved of the film’s campy tone, which drew comparisons to the 1960s Batman television series. The new movie promises to stay truer to the comics by presenting a stylized, noir comic-book world.
The Spirit will be co-financed and produced by Odd Lot Ent.’s Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker, who met with Eisner to discuss the project before he died in January of 2005. Batfilm Prods.’ Michael Uslan will also handle producer duties, while Batfilm co-founder Benjamin Melniker serves as exec producer. Odd Lot’s Linda McDonough and Batfilm’s FJ DeSanto will co-produce. Production is expected to begin sometime next year.
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