Frank Miller attached to "Buck Rogers"

[cqb101]

Frank Miller eyes big-screen 'Buck Rogers'
Odd Lot in talks to option the rights for the project
By Steven Zeitchik and Borys Kit

Dec 19, 2008, 01:00 AM ET

Frank Miller (Getty Images photo)

Frank Miller and Odd Lot Entertainment, the creator and production company behind the upcoming comic-book adventure "The Spirit," are close to teaming again on the classic sci-fi property "Buck Rogers."

Odd Lot, the shingle run by Gigi Pritzker and Deborah Del Prete, is in negotiations to option the rights to "Rogers" from Nu Image/Millennium, which obtained those rights this year from the Dille Trust. Millennium is expected to get a credit on the movie but won't be involved in day-to-day production.

John Flint Dille, a friend of Miller's, operates the trust, which may have partly prompted rumors at the time of the Millennium acquisition that the comic auteur-turned-filmmaker might come aboard to direct. But Miller was not attached at the time; he only became involved when Odd Lot entered the picture.

Miller will write and direct his own big-screen take on the comic serial; while the creator has only begun to sketch ideas, it's expected to be a darker take, with many of Miller's signature visual elements and themes, such as corruption and redemption.

It's likely to be a priority project for Miller, though he has been mulling a "Sin City" sequel.

One of the first pop-culture vehicles to tackle the issue of space exploration, the story of Buck Rogers began life as a comic serial in the late 1920's and early '30's and has seen numerous film and television versions over the years.

ABC had a TV series in the '50s, and NBC produced a feature film and TV series in the late '70s and early '80s, which imagined the space explorer as someone who woke up in the 25th century to find Earth destroyed and was then consigned to roam distant planets.

The party that controls the underlying rights has the ability to make any movie of television series off the property. At the moment, Odd Lot is planning only on a feature film.

Miller is the acclaimed writer and illustrator behind the graphic novel franchise "Sin City," which became a hit for the Weinstein Co. in 2004. He also is behind Warners breakout "300." "The Spirit," which Lionsgate releases next week, examines the pulpy hero created by Miller mentor Will Eisner.

Atleast once The Spirit bombs he won't be making anymore movies.

[Brodie]

Great, I can't wait to see another Sin City version of a movie he shouldn't be making.

You know, cause the Spirit movie is exactly what Eisner envisioned when he created the comic....

[Cure]

Originally Posted by cqb101

Atleast once The Spirit bombs he won't be making anymore movies.

Holy sh*t, bomb it did.

There was one lump of coal amid the Christmas cheer: Lionsgate's "Spirit," Frank Miller's PG-13 adaptation of the Will Eisner graphic novel and the holiday's fifth wide opener, had to settle for nine place with a four-day cume of $10.4 million.

[Brodie]

It was such a god awful movie. It made me feel like I wish I was aborted.

Edit: I typed "gods" originally, I didn't want anyone to think I was pulling a "Raph's Girl."

[Spitfire]

I've come to terms with the fact almost anything Lion's Gate releases will
A) Most likely suck and B) Will bomb

[Brodie]

Thats mostly to do with the fact that they have idiots in charge. Remember what happened to Midnight Meat Train?

"Clive Barker is making a film for us....Lets only release it in 102 theaters, and make sure those are DISCOUNT theaters!"

[Jester]

Does this mean we can expect Buck to say "I'm godamm Buck Rogers!"??

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

Originally Posted by Jester

Does this mean we can expect Buck to say "I'm godamm Buck Rogers!"??

Or expect people to say "Twiki. _____ years old" over and over and over again.