Last month, it came as a bit of surprise that a new screenwriter would be brought in to script the sequel to “Wanted,” 2008’s live-action adaptation of Mark Millar and J.G. Jones’ comic book series. The studio’s choice of “Pooh’s Heffalump” writer Evan Spiliotopoulos as the scribe for the next chapter of the violent, R-rated tale came as an even bigger surprise.

While Millar has already seen fit to voice his support for Spiliotopoulos’ role in crafting the “Wanted 2” story, I spoke to original “Wanted” screenwriter Chris Morgan to get some details on why the change was made.

“I’m actually still involved with ‘Wanted,’” Morgan told MTV News, explaining that his current workload made it necessary for him to step aside from primary writing duties on the film. However, he’ll still have input on the sequel’s creative development — which includes the “global” angle to the story he revealed last year. Read more…

To the surprise of many, “Pooh’s Heffalump” screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos was announced last week as the new writer for “Wanted 2,” the sequel to the 2008 film based on Mark Millar and J.G. Jones’ comic book series.

Spiliotopoulos appears to have taken over the writing duties from original “Wanted” movie scribe Chris Morgan, who told MTV News back in November that he was working on a more “global” story for the sequel.

Earlier this week, Millar addressed concerns about the former “Pooh” writer on his website’s message boards, explaining the basis for Spiliotopoulos’ selection and teasing that there’s blockbuster-level money at play in the development of “Wanted 2.” Read more…

When “Wanted” screenwriter Chris Morgan first helped bring to life the ultra-violent story about a world where supervillains had kicked out the good guys, he had some pretty impressive source material in Mark Millar and J.G. Jones’ critically praised graphic novel. While there won’t be the same ready-made reference for “Wanted 2,” the writer told MTV that shouldn’t be cause for concern among fans. And he should know, since he’s the one writing it.

“Yes, I will be writing it,” confirmed Morgan. “I’m actually leaving this conversation with you to go to a meeting with the director, Timur [Bekmambetov], and we’re talking about the story.” Read more…

Halloween Week continues here on Splash Page with more exclusive interviews, previews and features covering the scariest comics hitting shelves in the days to come. Check back each day this week for more horror that hails from the world of comics.

“So there’s this guy, okay?”

For “Salem: Queen of Thorns” writers Chris Morgan and Kevin Walsh, that’s how all their story ideas start out — and their current action-adventure miniseries set in one of the most infamous periods in American history is no exception. The “guy” in question this time around eventually became Elias Hooke, a sickle-wielding action hero who once fanned the flames of Salem’s notorious Witch Trials, but now attempts to make up for his sins by destroying an evil creature known as “The Queen of Thorns.”

“He is so close to being a bad guy, so close to being a supervillain,” said Morgan, who counts the screenplay for “Wanted,” the big-screen adaptation of Mark Millar’s 2003 series, among his previous projects. “I’m always like, ‘Thank God he’s one of the good guys, because if he ever turns, we’re f—ed.” Read more…