Frank Miller Closes In On "Buck Rogers"



(image via virginmedia)

It is good to see the old comic book guys rewarded for their labors in the Augean stables. Men like Stan Lee and Frank Miller are presently being lauded by The Hollywood Establishment after years of hyper-creativity, inspiring generations of kids, for only miniscule pay and the love of the game. Those comic book creators who just missed out on the Hollywood-graphic-novel gravy remind The Corsair, sadly, of the wrestlers that Mickey Rourke honors with his performance in The Wrestler. Who are the men who came before Hulk Hogan; who are the guys who just missed the six-figure payday? Who are the guys who bladed themselves and wrestled in thumb tacks for a $40 paycheck, gas money and the eternal adoration of the Budweiser set.

Who are the comic book artists that created enduring characters that populated the dreams of thousands but never got a taste? Frank Miller isn't -- he would say "aint" -- one of those suckers. From TheHollywoodReporter:

"Frank Miller and Odd Lot Entertainment, the creator and production company behind the upcoming comic-book adventure 'The Spirit,' are close to teaming again on the classic sci-fi property 'Buck Rogers.'

"Odd Lot, the shingle run by Gigi Pritzker and Deborah Del Prete, is in negotiations to option the rights to 'Rogers' from Nu Image/Millennium, which obtained those rights this year from the Dille Trust. Millennium is expected to get a credit on the movie but won't be involved in day-to-day production.

"John Flint Dille, a friend of Miller's, operates the trust, which may have partly prompted rumors at the time of the Millennium acquisition that the comic auteur-turned-filmmaker might come aboard to direct. But Miller was not attached at the time; he only became involved when Odd Lot entered the picture.

"Miller will write and direct his own big-screen take on the comic serial; while the creator has only begun to sketch ideas, it's expected to be a darker take, with many of Miller's signature visual elements and themes, such as corruption and redemption."