Movie audiences haven’t heard from the Green Hornet since 2011, but Universal has announced that they’re adapting the faux-underground gangster for the big screen once again. Partnering with Amasia Entertainment, who gained the rights to the Green Hornet in January, the movie will be called Green Hornet and Kato, named after the titular hero and his sidekick. Amasia’s co-founders Michael Helfant and Bradley Gallo are set to produce, but there has been no news regarding a potential director, screenwriters, or lead actors.
Originally, The Green Hornet started out as a radio show in 1930s about Britt Reid, the wealthy owner and publisher of The Daily Sentinel newspaper, who fought crime under the guise of a ruthless masked crime lord. In the original radio series, Reid was a direct descendant of the original Lone Ranger John Reid and joined by his valet Kato, who drove the Hornet’s technologically advanced car, the Black Beauty. The series ran from 1936 to 1952.
The Green Hornet was later adapted into two movies in the 1940s and, more famously, a TV series in the 1960s starring Van Williams and Bruce Lee. The role made Lee a household name in the United States and showcased his impressive martial arts skills to western audiences. Williams and Lee even reprised their roles a crossover in the Adam West Batman show. More recently, the Green Hornet adapted into a 2011 movie starring Seth Rogen and Jay Chou, but didn’t do well critically.
Universal Pictures made their movie announcement on April 16, with studio president Peter Cramer saying, “The Green Hornet is one of the most iconic and beloved superhero tales ever created, and it has entertained generations of fans in every form of storytelling. We are thrilled to be partnering with Michael, Bradley, and the entire Amasia team to launch an exciting new cinematic world for Britt Reid, Kato, and the Black Beauty, and we can’t wait to share it with global audiences soon.”
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