As was rumored months ago, the LETHAL WEAPON guy will bring Lester Dent’s famed DOC SAVAGE and his hair-helmet to life for Sony. Professional noisemaker Neal Moritz (XXX, STEALTH) is producing.
Black will direct the Man of Bronze’s big-budget adventure, and is co-writing the script with Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry. It’s unknown if their current plan is to keep the tanned, muscular hero in his proper period (the 1930s), but given Black’s known appreciation for pulp (see KISS KISS BANG BANG), that’s a good bet.
Savage generally traveled with a quintet of colleagues known as the Fabulous Five (specialists in various fields), which should give Black plenty of opportunity for his high-paid brand of banter. The character also supposedly influenced other famous heroes like Batman and Superman (he trained himself beyond physical limits, and had an Arctic “Fortress of Solitude”) and even Buckaroo Banzai (he was also a surgeon, inventor, scientist and musician).
Frank Darabont previously attempted to get Savage to screens, with none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger as the brawny and brainy hero. But the character has remained in storage since Ron Ely’s portrayal in 1975.
Black was most recently attached to direct a spy thriller called COLD WARRIOR, which would reunite him with Mel Gibson.