Vin Diesel in talks to lead R-rated Bloodshot adaptation

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Vin Diesel has done something incredible by proving you can capture the hearts of audiences around the world with three simple words: I am Groot. Sure, you don’t see his face because he’s voicing a humanoid tree, but he still gave the character life. But now it’s time for him to bring his actual, muscley self to a comic book character, and will reportedly do so in the adaptation of the “Bloodshot” comics.

The Wrap has learned that Diesel is being eyed to star as Bloodshot in Sony's five-film comic book universe based on the "Bloodshot" and "Harbinger" comics, which has been in the works for several years. Created in 1992 for Valiant Comics by Kevin Van Hook and Yvel Guichet the story follows a soldier who is mortally wounded but is turned into a super soldier via nanotechnology. He is then assigned to round-up other superpowered outcasts called “harbingers”. Would it be too on the nose for Diesel to have an Austrian accent in this movie?

Jared Leto was the last actor associated with the role back in summer of 2017, but perhaps negotiations fell through. The movie will be produced by Neal Moritz (The FAST AND FURIOUS movies) and Dinesh Shamdasani of Valiant Comics, with Eric Heisserer (ARRIVAL) to write the script. Dave Wilson, who is Tim Miller’s (director of DEADPOOL) partner at Blur Studios is set to direct. The movie is aiming for a 2019 release.

According to sources, the movie is aiming to be a hard-R sci-fi blockbuster in the style of movies like ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL. The movie will take from the tone and visual style of those movies, and will hopefully be successful enough to kick-start its own movie universe. There is already a planned HARBINGER movie that in the past was said will be focused on Peter Stancheck who is "a psionically-charged “harbinger” with the potential to reshape the course of human history.”

BLOODSHOT is aiming for a 2019 release.