A local comic book shop may have been Radical Comics' best recruitment tool for finding a director to adapt their comic book property "Shrapnel." Len Wiseman, who wrote and directed the first two "Underworld" movies, claims to have found an issue on the shelf at a store where he was perusing comics with his 11-year old daughter. Though she probably wasn't the target demographic for the book's tatteredly-clothed, tattoo-faced heroine, Wiseman immediately latched on to the story.
"I am really drawn to the reluctant-hero story," Wiseman told The Hollywood Reporter, comparing the character to Bruce Willis' John McClane in "Live Free or Die Hard."
"Shrapnel," which was created by M. Zachary Sherman and Bagus Hutomo, depicts a future where humans live all over the solar system governed by a body called the Solar Alliance. Venus, the book's central figure, is a former Marine who chooses to live on her own and trains colonists to fight against the ruling powers.
According to THR, the movie is being developed as live-action, but may take a "3D approach," and a video game from Zombie Studios is also planned.
The movie would be a change in gears for Wiseman from the modern-day action of "Live Free or Die Hard" and his vampires-versus-werewolves realm of the "Underworld" series. An adaptation of the game "Gears of War" is also on his docket of projects in development, however, and just how that film turns out may be a key indicator of how "Shrapnel" will look as well.
Have you read Radical's "Shrapnel" books? What do you think of Len Wiseman as their pick to direct the film? Sound off in the comment section below!