Frank Miller’s The Spirit (or is that Frank Miller’s Will Eisner’s The Spirit?) may not be generating the same level of geek hype as Watchmen, but that’ll change when folks start getting a look at the film. I’ve been hearing nothing but superlatives for months on The Spirit (which Miller shot exclusively greenscreen ala Sin City), so it’s hardly surprising to learn (via SuperheroHype.com) that Lionsgate has locked down Miller for two more installments of the comic book adaptation.
Now, to sell audiences on a comic geek’s comic. The film is currently scheduled for release on January 16, 2009 (as we discussed previously, the MLK holiday weekend is a now a coveted date), which means that Lionsgate will pour it on at this July’s San Diego Comic Con. Miller’s a fixture at the Con, while the star of the film, Gabriel Macht, will be there unless he’s keen on career suicide. But I’m sure Lionsgate will try to dazzle the Hall H rabble with a healthy dose of hotties (Scarlett Johansson, Paz Vega, Jaime King, Eva Mendes, Dan Lauria, etc.), and a heapin’ helpin’ of Sam Jackson (who apparently plays the fuck out of The Octopus).
Jackson’s not yet signed for more Spirit, but, considering how happy Miller was with him, I’m sure they’ll do everything they can to get him back. Same goes for Macht, obviously. As for the ladies, there are so many villainesses to choose from, they’re really under no obligation to re-up with anyone save for Sarah Paulson (who plays The Spirit’s true love, Ellen Dolan) and maybe Johansson, whose Silken Floss is essentially The Octopus’s henchwoman. Oh, and Louis Lombardi, but only because he was awesome as Edgar on 24.