For the past several weeks, Batman writer and former-CIA officer Tom King has been teasing a "super secret" meeting with some of Hollywood's top brass. And now, thanks to The Wrap, we've learned that King is set to co-write the NEW GODS screenplay alongside the project's director, Ava DuVernay (A WRINKLE IN TIME).
Created by renowned artist Jack Kirby in 1971 as part of the creator's Fourth World initiative, Wikipedia informs us that "the New Gods are natives of the twin planets of New Genesis and Apokolips. Filled with unspoiled forests, mountains, and rivers, the idyllic New Genesis is ruled by the Highfather, while the nightmarish Apokolips is a polluted and ruined dystopia filled with fire pits and machinery ruled over by the tyrant Darkseid. Both New Genesis and Apokolips were once part of the same world, but it was split apart a millennia ago during Ragnarök."
After wrapping his 12-issue maxi-series Mister Miracle with artist Mitch Gerads for DC Comics, King recently announced that he'll be ending his current Batman run ahead of schedule, knocking the planned 105-issue epic down to 85 chapters of the Bat-tastic saga. While that's bound to disappoint some Bat-fans, I feel it's my duty to inform you that King's Bat-story will continue in his newly-announced Batman/Catwoman maxi-series with artist Clay Mann.
As for King's experience with characters hailing from NEW GODS, the Mister Miracle author already has plenty of experience writing Scott Free, a.k.a. Mister Miracle, as well as Darkseid's malevolent henchgirl, Granny Goodness, Scott's beloved wife, Big Barda, and of course, the Highfather himself. Which characters DuVernay's NEW GODS will introduce to the masses has yet to be determined, but I'll bet you my entire comic collection that the casting for Big Barda will result in some heated debates. Trust me. Just wait for it. It's going to happen, and I can't wait!
We'll be sure to bring you more updates related to NEW GODS as they happen.