Reginald Hudlin to Direct ‘Shadowman’ Adaptation

With Marvel Studios continuing its dominance of superhero films and DC working to re-establish its brand post-Wonder Woman, the window for adaptations of superheroes not affiliated with either company has been rather slim. In the past, success has been seen with original titles such as Darkman, Unbreakable and The Incredibles, as well as non-DC/Marvel heroes such as The Crow. Now, in a world where the formula for a traditional superhero film has been well-established, independent comic book company Valiant Entertainment will be throwing their hat into the ring with an adaption of their popular series Shadowman. Debuting in 1992, Shadowman centers around Jack Boniface, an African-American musician infected by a spirit which transforms him into the Shadowman, a mystical being tasked with defending the Earth against demonic threats hailing from an underworld realm known as the Deadside.

According to Hollywood Reporter, the film has gained a director in Reginald Hudlin, who served as a producer for Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and directed the upcoming film Marshall starring Chadwick Boseman. In addition to his experience in both film and television, Hudlin also holds an impressive resume in the comic book industry, having served as a writer for Black Panther from 2005 to 2008, as well as the comic book adaption of Tarantino’s Django film. Alongside his title as director, Hudlin will be co-writing the screenplay for Shadowman alongside Salem showrunner Adam Simon, providing a rewrite of the script originally penned by executive producer J. Michael Straczynski (Thor, World War Z). Currently, there are no actors confirmed for the project.

Alongside Shadowman, Variant Comics is attempting to bring more of their characters to life on the big screen, and have hired a number of talented individuals to head these projects. Such examples include Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) for the adaptation of Archer and Armstrong, as well as Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: Civil War) as executive producers for a Quantum and Woody TV series. Further information regarding these adaptions has yet to be revealed.