Warner Bros apparently plans to move forward with the much talked about and exceedingly protracted production of Justice League Dark, a film adaptation based on the DC Comics title of the same name. Producer Scott Rudin (The Social Network, True Grit, No Country For Old Men, etc) is said to be backing the project.
Word from the fine folks over at The Tracking Board state that, as of now, JLD is considered ‘priority’ by the studio, with the aim of production beginning some time next year.
Created by Peter Milligan and Mikel Jenin in 2011 — and later taken over by Jeff Lemire — Justice League Dark is about a team of supernatural ‘heroes’ (some would debate otherwise) existing within the DC universe. Among their ranks; John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Zatanna, Deadman and Swamp Thing (to name a few). Fated (or perhaps cursed) to band together when supernatural threats, which even Superman and the Justice League can’t handle, arise.
JLD had been in development by writer, director and producer Guillermo Del Toro since 2012. Scheduling conflicts with Pacific Rim 2, another of his big budget film projects, forced him to back out. About his attempt to juggle multiple projects, Del Toro stated in July;
“Warners liked the script, they were very enthusiastic and wanted to green-light it but they wanted it to coincide with the shoot of ‘Pacific Rim 2′. I was put in a very difficult place facing a difficult choice, and I chose to do ‘Pacific Rim 2.’”
Rudin was then brought in in Del Toro’s stead, though reports say that he will stay on as a producer.
Though Warner Bros are being particularly ‘mum’ about specifics on the film, word from TTB hints to a story involving ‘a series of ancient books stolen by a madman who wants to destroy humanity’ (Felix Faust and the Books of Magic perhaps?). Constantine then seeks out heroes specializing in the occult and supernatural to help him save the world.
As always, stay plugged in to SE for more Comic Nook News as it develops.