One of comics’ oldest heroes could be returning to the big screen, courtesy of the director of MORTAL KOMBAT and DEATH RACE. Deadline’ s just announced that Paul WS Anderson's attached to direct a BUCK ROGERS movie, working off a script by IRON MAN co-writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. Odds are that some of you may only be familiar with Mr. Rogers (the one whose neighborhood is GALACTIC) due to the Dynamite comic that recently relaunched the character recently.
Buck Rogers has been around since the 20s. Though he started as a pulp fiction hero, he was quickly better known for his comics adventures and for starring in film and radio serials. Basically, his origin’s a jetpacked-powered, double-fisted take-off on Rip Van Winkle. He was an US Air Corps officer who falls into a coma and subsequently re-awakens in the 25th Century for all kinds of rip-roaring, swashbuckling adventures. If you’ve heard of Flash Gordon, you’ll know that there’s a lot similarities between the two.
Interestingly, I recall an announcement several months ago that Frank Miller was going to write and direct a BUCK ROGERS movie, himself. Considering that THE SPIRIT didn’t do that well, I’d imagine that Paradox, the company that owns the rights to this character, might have had second thoughts. Interestingly, they also hold the rights to another adventure hero who has a long literary and comics history - - Conan the Barbarian. They’re producing CONAN reboot that’s currently shooting, right as we speak.
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.
Log in to comment