UPDATED: DAVID FINCHER TO DIRECT TORSO

[MattBrady]

It looks as if Torso’s five-plus year journey from comics to Hollywood is finally nearing an end, as it was reported by the trades today that David (Seven, Fight Club, Panic Room) Fincher will direct the film version of the Brian Bendis/Marc Andreyko comic miniseries for Paramount.

Originally, Dimension acquired the film rights for the story in 2000, when Bendis was writing Sam & Twitch for McFarlane. As Bendis recounted in his Fortune and Glory miniseries, it was McFarlane who got the Hollywood ball rolling on the film version of the story, optioning the property from Bendis and Andreyko, and initially selling it to Miramax.

The story recounts the true tale of the post-Untouchables Eliot Ness, who moved to Cleveland after seeing Al Capone brought to justice in Chicago. In Cleveland, as the city’s public safety officer, Ness’ biggest – and unsolved – case centered on the “Torso Killer,” a serial killer who, after killing his victims, cut off their head, arms, and legs. As the torsos began to appear in the waters around Cleveland, Ness began to receive mail from the killer, taunting him. Despite investigating with a team of ex-police officers, Ness never apprehended the killer.

Then set up at Miramax’s Dimension division, the film version of the miniseries was to be written by Bendis and Andreyko. The two wrote the first draft of the screenplay, producer Don Murphy came aboard to help move things along; however, the film languished for years.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it was Murphy who went to Pandemonium’s Bill Mechanic, who then brought Fincher to the project. This version of the film series will start from scratch, as Ehren (The Ring) Kruger will write the adaptation of the story as soon as Paramount gives it the green light.

The film will be produced by Mechanic, Murphy, McFarlane and Terry Fitzgerald, with Alli Shearmur and Marc Evans overseeing the film for Paramount. Fincher is currently filming Zodiac (coincidentally, about the Zodiac serial killer), and is expected to film the previously set up Benjamin Button before starting work on Toroso.

Asked for his response to the news and his current involvement with the project, Brian Bendis told Newsarama:

“I don't think the details of any of this are that interesting,” Bendis wrote, “but we had first set this up at Miramax where mark and I wrote a draft. We had a great time doing that. There was some struggle as to what type of movie Miramax wanted to make from it. They were doing a lot of inexpensive thrillers at the time. Dracula 2000, etc and we all thought Torso should be something on the level of a LA Confidential, The Untouchables, or Seven. A big epic directed by someone... just like David Fincher.

“We got Torso back but Miramax kept our script which was really a bummer, but they bought it and they can do whatever they see fit. That's the way it goes in Hollywood. The amazing part is that Bill Mechanic's company jumped in and David Fincher showed interest and all the other pieces fell into place.

“I can't tell you enough how well Marc Andreyko and our manager David Engel and lawyer Shep Rosenmen handled all of this out there in LA. So, though there are many steps to go before a movie starts getting made, this is absolutely the kind of movie I had always hoped in my dream of dreams that Torso might be. But, man, never did I think it could get anywhere near this close. David Fincher, like many of us, is one of my favorite directors and the Fight Club DVD extras are inspiring.

“Torso was two years of my life, years of research and drawing, and it did get me my first work at Marvel. That and Jinx got me Daredevil and it got Marc's excellent book Manhunter. If any of this makes you feel like picking up the collection from Image comics... go with that feeling…

“As for Jinx at Universal i am just a week away from completing my first draft, so fingers crossed. But it felt good.

“And no, I am not leaving comics. Sorry avengers fans comics are the best medium for storytelling in the world and I am lucky to work on the best characters ever created. Trust me, nothing beats comics or the people that make them.”

[Kolimar]

Oh yeah!!!

[xomanowarfan]

OMG! Fincher making a movie about Elliot Ness...and its based on a comic!!! I couldn't be happier. The only problem is he's doing two other films first

Question, is Fortune and Glory a comic or a book?

[RED SHIFT]

Originally posted by xomanowarfan
Question, is Fortune and Glory a comic or a book?

Four issue mini series on oni press, and it is also in trade format. Great series lots of laughs!

[Kolimar]

Oh and this is another one for my humongous list.

[kingofcities]

HELL YEAH!

David Fincher has been my favorite director of the last 10 years. His movies are fantastic. If I were Bendis I'd be wigging out right about now.

[EmeraldGuy32]

YAY! w00t! YAY!

[algertman]

FROM THE MAN THAT BROUGHT YOU ALIEN 3..........

but for real, Bendis crime books a very good. Hope this is good

[Mr Wesley]

If they're starting from scratch on this, how ironic would it be if they brought in another famed comic book writer, Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition, Ms. Tree, Dick Tracy) to consult, because of the series of historical novels he wrote about Eliot Ness, including the Torso murders?

[treble kicker]

Not getting to excited about this... just becuase there has been a history of other projects that Fincher was planning on doing and then passed on. Conceivably, this wouldn't be hitting the screen until maybe 2010, on the basis of most filmmakers are usually presenting a new picture once every 2 years, and I really don't know if Fincher's interest in the property will remain, let alone the studio's interest after the script is presented from Ehren (shudder) Kruger.

[Pack]

I don't want to be a downer and this certainly sounds good to me too but the key word here is sounds ...
If anyone remembers watching Robin Williams as the Riddler in "Batman Forever," Wolfgang Peterson's "Batman vs. Superman" or the new Superman film directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicolas Cage ... well, then they're dreaming because all of these films were announced too (Just like Darren Arronofsky and Terry Gilliam directed "Watchmen" films.)
The point is, I think it's wisest to reserve your excitement until they start announcing a cast, releasing set photos, etc.

[_kingforaday]

Originally posted by algertman
FROM THE MAN THAT BROUGHT YOU ALIEN 3..........

but for real, Bendis crime books a very good. Hope this is good

...And the man who brought us Seven and Fight Club. The Alien 3 Director's Cut, Fincher's intended theatrical release, redeems whatever quips one may have had with the original release.

[justinalanha]

This is the best news ever. Bendis just had an orgasm. It's about time Fincher got some good sourse material for a new project.

[Blind Assassin]

So now we have a JINX movie and a TORSO film to look forward to, as well as the rumored pilot based on Bendis 'Alias' series, called 'Alter Ego'

[vicvondoom]

If true, this is great news. Fincher's made some classics.

[The D]

YES!!!! (hopefully)

Torso is my second favorite comic of all time, behind Preacher

[batlash]

Originally posted by algertman
FROM THE MAN THAT BROUGHT YOU ALIEN 3..........

but for real, Bendis crime books a very good. Hope this is good

Think more "From the man who brought you Seven. Fincher is an outstanding choice to direct Torso. He dallied with directing the film version of James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia for years before it was finally made by Brian DePalma (release scheduled for this year). This seems like a natural substitute, subject-wise, for Fincher to get another shot at doing a Black Dahlia-style story. I hope it will happen. Torso directed by Fincher would be stunning.

[TheFoo]

Perfect fit.

[Lord Ice]

Uh oh. Looks like I better not have any kids cause I said I would give my first born up if someone would make a film version of Torso.

[Remlik]

one of my favorite graphic novels finally being turned into a movie. Getting David Fincher to direct is certainly going in the right direction for this project. Should be interesting to watch the developement of this project...

[Blind Assassin]

Originally posted by batlash
He dallied with directing the film version of James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia for years before it was finally made by Brian DePalma (release scheduled for this year).

AWESOME!!

I have been waiting for this for some time

Thanks for the update, batlash.

[tealfan]

Yes David Fincher movies rock my boat!

If this works out, it would be nice if Bendis got to write the screenplay for a Spider-Man movie.

[Jeremy Williams]

Knowing Fincher, i`ll believe it, when I see it. He`s been connected to a dozen progects in the last 10 years but he kept changing his mind. lol

[8leggedfreak]

WOW!!! Awesome news. I've been a fan of BMB's since the Goldfish days, and Fincher being one of the "god" directors in my book, this should make a killer movie.

If anyone hasn't read TORSO, I'd highly recommend it. JINX and GOLDFISH were great too, but I think TORSO is Bendis' best crime book.

[AlexLothos]

Originally posted by TheFoo
Perfect fit.

My thoughts exactly. Bring on the casting news!