Perhaps it was the seeds of the eccentricities that Shia Labeouf is currently exploring in music videos and sex-filled Lars Von Trier projects, but in 2009 the actor seemed to effectively kill DJ Caruso’s adaptation of Y: The Last Man by removing his star power from the equation. The adaptation of the now-classic graphic novel has since languished without a peep, until now- word is gears are in motion at New Line Cinema once again.

The project’s acceleration is apparently fueled by a new major draft of the screenplay, which has excited executives and prompted a search for a director to bring Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia’s screenplay to term.

You’d think this would be a no-brainer of a project, as the opportunity to set a film in an a post-acockalypse world that features only a sole male protagonist in a world of women would be one of those rare films that sells itself. What I hope (but don’t believe) is that perhaps executives realize the work of Brian K. Vaughn is too special to shit out recklessly, and that properties like Y and Deus Ex Machina deserve proper attention. I’m certainly pleased Caruso has dropped off, as his I Am Number Four may be one of the outright lamest action movies I’ve seen in years.

So keep your fingers crossed as the studio monkey’s assemble short-lists and court filmmakers that whatever name gets drawn out of the hat is a good one. It’s also time to start thinking about who would make a good hero, now that Shia is “beyond” such a thing. Liam Hemsworth would be my guess for a front-runner.

 

Source | Vulture (via Dark Horizons)