There's got to be a whole flock of golden egg laying geese somewhere in Netflix's basement. There's really no other explanation for how they're able to throw such vast amounts of cash around. The streaming service has made another big investment in their future as Deadline reports that they've made a seven-figure deal with Rob Liefeld for the rights to his stable of characters in the Extreme Universe. Bring on the pouches.
Akiva Goldsman will be setting up and overseeing a "high-end writers' room" which will begin to develop a series of feature films with connective tissue. "Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Universe features gritty stories and distinctive characters," said Netflix feature film chief Scott Stuber. "Akiva’s creative voice has been behind some of the largest movie franchises, making him uniquely capable of helping bring these superheroes from the Extreme Universe to life for Netflix." Goldsman added, "Rob is a unique and innovative talent who knows how to combine hard-edged comic book action with real emotionality. Netflix has the ambition, reach, and dedication to bring his universe to life." A similar deal was in the works with Graham King and Fundamental Films a little over a year ago, but Deadline says that it fell through and Netflix came to the rescue. According to Deadline, the Extreme Universe "covers six comic books, encompassing more than 50 characters that include Brigade, Bloodstrike, Cybrid, Re-Gex, Bloodwulf and Kaboom." I'm not all that familiar with many of Liefeld's creations, but that should give Netflix quite the well from which to draw.
In a statement, Rob Liefeld said:
Netflix has become a part of every day existence for me and my children. Their programming is the most dynamic and diverse I have seen. I am beyond thrilled and inspired to be bringing my Extreme catalogue to life with the creative wizards at Netflix. What Akiva Goldsman has achieved with his craft and storytelling across all mediums in our industry is of absolute benefit for my Extreme characters. He is an absolute comic book fanatic and working with him on adapting Extreme Universe has been electric. His stellar work on Star Trek Discovery has wowed the fandom and trust me when I say that the Teen Titans show he is producing is going to blow fans away. I cannot wait to show the world what we have in store.
Which of Rob Liefeld's Extreme Universe characters are you most excited to see come to life at Netflix?