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Ed Brubaker's Comic Series 'Incognito' is Being Adapted by Fox

by Alex Billington
April 29, 2010
Source: Deadline

Another comic book project now in development. Deadline reports that Fox has acquired the rights to adapt Ed Brubaker's comic book series Incognito that focuses on a "ruthless villain" named Zack Overkill who goes into the witness protection program after ratting out his boss The Black Death. Incognito is one of the comics that I picked up last year when it first came out and it's a fantastic series, kind of like Max Payne in terms of its grittiness; but it's dark series with a great story about an actual villain. However, I don't think we've seen a successful modern comic book movie that's about a villain yet, have we? Will this even work?

“He's not your typical villain and I was trying to blend the trappings of pulp, comic and noir genres," Brubaker told Deadline. "Zack was raised to be his world's equivalent of a supervillain. We've all seen the story of a good person who goes undercover and gets corrupted. This is a bad person forced to live among regular people, and how he's affected by that. He once ran around with a mask, but now he's got the fake name and the fake job. My goal was to have you rooting for him as he grows a conscience."

Fox has, oddly, hired Robert Schenkkan, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of The Kentucky Cycle, to write the script. Peter Chernin is producing with David Engel. Since this is in the early development stages, there's not much else to report on this yet. The story follows Overkill as he gains "something of a conscience" and becomes a vigilante after discovering that certain drugs meant to dull his powers can actually restore them. Like I said, it's a great series, and could make for a great movie as long as it's R-rated and as dark and gritty as the Predators reboot looks. We'll keep you updated and will also let you know when they find a director.

Filed under Comics, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Xerxex

sounds good. I can't even count how many comic book films are coming out.
CJ

DTF. DON'T TRUST FOX
j34

this film could have been pick by other studios in hollywood but not fox
John

i'm down with a hardcore Hard R-Rated Dark And Gritty No Holds Barred Ultra-Violent Noir Type Anti-Hero Actioner That's Based A Graphic Novel Go For it Fox Don't Hold Back.
xanatos

this sounded promising until Fox was mentioned. Ed Brubaker has written some good stuff, but now that Fox has this lets expect Brett Ratner directing it.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

#4 - If that's how it turns out... I'm worried they'll make this PG-13.
j34

i don't want this film being made into another dumb PG-13 shitfest. i so agree with you alex on that
david

if the Predators reboot gets it's R-RATING and does well at the box office this summer then it has to Change Fox's MIND And make this film an R.
Raheem

#6 - I'm worried about that too Alex. I so want this film to be R-Rated And live up to the tone, story and protagonists from the comic book but and the same i don't want Fox to fuck up another comic book adaptation on the big screen by watering it down so they can just make money off of it and that's so disrespectful to the graphic novel and to the fans.
Dan W

If they really go all out on this and keep it small I can see it being a great character piece. As long as they get the right actor to play him I can see it being like a Taxi Driver like film. Obviously not story wise, but character-driven wise.....if that makes any sense to anyone else. I've never read the comics, but this is just what I'm taking away from the description. It definitely needs to be R though
SkaOreo

As much as I would love to believe that Fox would keep true to the spirit of the comic, THIS IS FOX WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. Knowing them, they'll probably pull a Wanted where they'll make him into some unwilling Assassin or something. Also they'll probably attempt to make him as likable as possible(HE'S JUST MISUNDERSTOOD), throw a lame love interest, and slap a pg-13 rating on it. The only way a Villain central movie would work, is if a Kick-Ass scenario happens where a director finances the movie with his own movie. Because a movie studio would never allow a movie version of Incognito to be as dark as it is in the comics.
SkaOreo

I meant own money.
Colt

They better not fuck up Brubaker's Noir masterpiece. Brubaker is my favorite comic writer. What he did on his Daredevil run was sick.
SamAir

Yes, theres been a "successful modern comic book movie that's about a villain" it was called The Dark Knight
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

#14 - No, I mean with a villain as the main character (as in, a Venom movie, etc). I know what you're trying to say and no, The Dark Knight is specifically a Batman movie, although The Joker became a central character, it's not a movie about a villain, sorry.
Marius665

Chris Pine should play Zack Overkill
Rashad

Clive Owen for Zack Ian Mcshane for Black Death - look at the resemblance http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5VgL6ZXwkaw/SZsVsG-frGI/AAAAAAAAMrM/Z33VDFnHVtc/s320/Incognito.jpg Robert Schenkkan is reportedly doing the script.