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I only read two active comics — Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ utterly compelling saga, and KILL OR BE KILLED from writer Ed Brubaker, artist Sean Phillips and colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser. The latter series has just been picked up by producer Basil Iwanyk, who has tapped his John Wick collaborator Chad Stahelski to direct the gritty adaptation, the Tracking Board has confirmed.
Kill or Be Killed is like a cross between Dexter and Death Note. It follows a depressed college student who tries to kill himself, only to be given a new lease on life by a demon who tells him he must kill one person each month if he wants to continue living. The young man figures if he’s forced to kill to survive, he might as well take out some bad people. So as I said, it’s a bit like Dexter, only Dexter enjoyed his killings. And it’s a bit like Death Note because it involves a supernatural being, though that film’s protagonist didn’t have to kill, he chose to kill.
Daniel Casey will write the script, having previously adapted Brubaker’s comic Incognito for Sony. Erica Lee will also produce for Iwanyk’s Thunder Road banner along with Jeff Waxman (mother!). Image Comics publishes the comic, whose pitch-black premise should please genre fans who like their comic book movies a little edgy.
Brubaker and Phillips are also behind the noir comic Criminal, as well as Fatale, The Fade Out and the aforementioned Incognito. He’s represented by UTA, while Casey is repped by CAA and Writ Large.
Stahelski is currently prepping John Wick: Chapter 3, and he’s also developing the Highlander remake. He’s repped by WME, and the Hollywood Reporter broke the news of his hiring. Stahelski is repped by WME and Kelly McCormick.
Jeff Sneider | Editor in Chief
