Fans of the paperback novels “The Destroyer” can expect an adventure-action movie based on the series about the U.S. government operative named Remo Williams. This will be something worth watching if the right resources adapt this to big screen. I still remember the books piled up in my father’s room, with the first novel published as early as 1971. Sony Pictures is off to a good start by hiring “Iron Man 3” helmer Shane Black to direct the pic. The project is being written by “Fight Club” scribe Jim Uhls in collaboration with James Mullaney, who co-authored books in the series. It seems all the boxes are ticked so far from a production point of view. Hopefully “The Destroyer” will make amends for the half-baked 1985 adaptation featuring the main character in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins”. We will finally get so see the New Jersey cop back in action after almost 30 years since Fred Ward starred as the title character. The movie has been stuck in development hell since Dark Horizons indicated that a new Remo adaptation may be filmed back in 2009.
‘Iron Man 3’ Director Hired to Helm ‘The Destroyer’
Check out the full press releases from Sony:
LOS ANGELES, CA, AUGUST 21, 2014 – Sony Pictures Entertainment announced today Shane Black will direct the film adaptation of the popular adventure book series THE DESTROYER by Warren Murphy. Penning the screenplay are Jim Uhls (Fight Club) and James Mullaney; Mullaney co-authored and became the sole writer of THE DESTROYER until the series’ end in 2008. Charles Roven, Steven Chasman, and Andy Horwitz will produce. Michael De Luca and Lauren Abrahams will oversee for Sony Pictures Entertainment.
THE DESTROYER is based on the series of paperback novels in which Newark cop Remo Williams is framed, sentenced to death, then resurrected following a botched execution. The reason? To serve as enforcement arm for CURE, a top-secret, extra-Constitutional arm of the U.S. government. Along with a seemingly ageless – and often hilarious – Asian assassin known only as Chiun, Williams sets out to “clean up” and take out those who oppose America’s interests. The surprisingly-heartfelt stories combine edgy old-school suspense with Eastern mysticism to produce unique, rapid-fire capers full of slick banter, social satire, and sudden violence.
“Shane has been a fan of the original DESTROYER book series since its inception and he has an incredible vision for this film. Atlas couldn’t be more fortunate to be working with this talented director on this material,” said Charles Roven of Atlas Entertainment. “The narrative Jim and James have created is incredibly rich and while it’s a story rooted in adventure, it is also very much character driven.”
“The Destroyer is a two-fisted classic and deserves no less than the genius of Shane Black,” said Michael De Luca, president of Production for Columbia Pictures. “We couldn’t be more excited about his vision for this character.”
Shane Black is currently attached to co-write and direct DOC SAVAGE, based on the hero of pulp novels, films, and comic books, for Columbia Pictures. Black most recently wrote and directed IRON MAN 3, which became the fifth highest grossing film of all time worldwide. He began his career in screenwriting, making his mark with LETHAL WEAPON and collaborating on its sequel. Black’s directorial debut came in 2005 with his critically acclaimed KISS KISS BANG BANG starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer.
Jim Uhls is best known for having written the screenplay for the classic film FIGHT CLUB directed by David Fincher. Subsequently he has written a number of films and television shows, having worked with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Doug Liman, and Shane Black, to name a few. Jim began his career as an original member of The Actors Gang when it was founded at UCLA.
James Mullaney is a Shamus Award-nominated novelist who has written 37 books, as well as comics and short stories. He is author of the Red Menace series of spy thrillers and the comic-fantasy-noir Crag Banyon Mysteries detective series.
Black is represented by WME and David Greenblatt of GreenLit Creative. Uhls is represented by Paradigm and Anonymous Content. Mullaney is represented by David Greenblatt as well.
