DIGGLE & JOCK'S LOSERS GOES TO THE BIG SCREEN

[MattBrady]

According to Variety DC/Vetigo’s The Losers is the latest comic property from the publisher to head for the big screen.

Having debuted in summer of 2003, and written by Andy Diggle, with art by Jock, the comic series is about a black ops CIA team who was double-crossed in Afghanistan and left for dead. Of course, from there, it’s time to learn who betrayed them, and get some hot revenge.

The property shares its name with a Silver Age version as published by DC (starring World War II era heroes), but under Diggle and Jock, the property has met with critical acclaim as a look at the “other” side of war in a post 9/11 world.

Optioned by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film version will be produced by Peter (Friday night Lights) Berg and Akiva Goldsman, with Berg writing a screenplay, and possibly directing as well. Berg is already attached as director on the upcoming films The Kingdom and Bran Mak Morn.

From Variety: Warner Bros. Pictures' Dan Lin and creative exec Matt Reilly are overseeing “Losers" for the studio. Gregory Noveck is the development exec at DC Comics. Also taking producing credit are John Cameron and Sarah Aubrey for Berg's Film 44, and Kerry Foster for Goldsman's Weed Road.

At the Isotope Virtual Lounge, Jock added: “We met Pete Berg a couple of months ago and he was a great guy who's keen on Andy and I having involvement in the transition. I think we have a lot to thanks Sin City/Frank Miller for!

“Hollywood may be waking up....

“Actually, scrub that - that's more far fetched than a summer blockbuster.”

Meanwhile, at his forum, Diggle wrote:

"I've know this was brewing for a while now, but my natural pessimism refused to let me believe it would actually happen until I read it in Variety. Well, there it is.

"Pete got a lot of respect for FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, and his being a successful actor-writer-director has made THE LOSERS that much easier to "package" and has given it some real momentum. Jock and I met up with him a couple of months ago in London, and we both got the sense that he gets it.

"This is going to be fun!"

[tralfaz]

just keep nic cage away from it

[KingPagla]

Great News!
"Losers" is perfect for a movie adaptation.

[hondo]

I knew this title was going to get cancelled, even though it's definitely one of the best titles out there, just like Human Target was too.

Reading The Losers, you can't help but think, "This would make one kick ass movie ! It's perfect !"

Indeed.

I had the exact same sentiments about Ex Machina.

I hope they are close to as good as the comics.

Great news !!

[Vyper]

I'm glad Hollywood has (relatively recently) discovered the goldmine that are comics. In a time where even the rehashed stories are getting rehashed (to the twelfth degree) by the movie industry, original (or at least interesting) stories being told month-in-month-out by comic creators are a breath of fresh air. I mean, seriously, would anyone in Hollywood come up with Hellboy anytime soon? There is a wealth of stories and concepts, in almost every genre, available in comics. Let's tap some more of that potential.

I would love to see Samurai: Heaven and Earth made into a movie. I mean, this story begs to be given the big screen treatment - a samurai journeys to Europe on the trail of his kidnapped love. And did I mention that he fights the Three Musketeers? In the streets of Paris?

[mdg1]

Originally posted by hondo
I knew this title was going to get cancelled, even though it's definitely one of the best titles out there, just like Human Target was too.

Losers isn't getting canceled. Diggle is simply finishing the story he wanted to tell. Kinda like Sandman, or Preacher.

[hondo]

Originally posted by mdg1
Losers isn't getting canceled. Diggle is simply finishing the story he wanted to tell. Kinda like Sandman, or Preacher.

Yes, you are correct mdg1. I knew that and should have been more clear. In an interview, he said that he was running out of steam with the concept and was bringing it to a close. Better to end on a high note than bastardize it into a mindless abomination.

Still, I'm going to miss it.

[brydeemer]

I'm very much looking forward to this movie. The comic is wonderful, although, sadly, wasn't it recently cancelled?

Bry

[Jimmy Palmiotti]

These guys deserve this good news...isnt it amazing that the studio actually picked a good book to adapt for a change that isnt a superhero title?

this is great news, along with history of violence.

congrats guys!

Jimmy

[blankpoint]

Losers isn't getting canceled. Diggle is simply finishing the story he wanted to tell. Kinda like Sandman, or Preacher.

He's being allowed to end it properly, but this ending is coming a bit earlier than they had originally planned for (about 10-12 issues earlier) because of the low sales. They were asked to keep with the main story thread and finish it up, instead of doing a couple more semi-independent arcs between the current story and the finale.

[Christian Otte]

Great news. I love this series and as some other posters in this thread has mentioned, yes, this is a comic begging to be adapted. Congrats to Andy Diggle and Jock .

[BlakSun]

this book is amazing. I wonder who will play Aisha?

[Hannibal King]

Nic Cage is 'DA MAN' He can play Blade, he can play Ghost Rider, Superman, Big Bird, anything really. I can't wait to see him in this!















jk

[Charlie Hustle]

Originally posted by Jimmy Palmiotti
These guys deserve this good news...isnt it amazing that the studio actually picked a good book to adapt for a change that isnt a superhero title?

this is great news, along with history of violence.

congrats guys!

Jimmy

Well Ghost world, Road to Perdition... they just don't TALK about those being non superhero titles.

I can't wait for this I for one am a fan of Berg's work I hope he directs it.

[johnny.blaze]

AWESOME! This will be a kick ass movie!

Too bad Bruckheimer isn't producing it with Michael Bay directing! (Hey i didn't see the Island).

If these two were involved the movie would seem to be closer to the book. We'll see though. Berg is a capable man.

OK OK CASTING CALL:

Clay: George Pappard just kidding, George Clooney
Aisha: Rosario Dawson
Pooch: Vingh Rames (c'mon now who didn't see this?)
Cougar: Jason Statham (with a blond wig)
Jensen: John Heder (Napolean Dyanamite baby!) or Zach Braff

Stegler: Eastwood 'nuf said

Max: Rip Thorn
Roque: Joaquin Phoenix

My theory is that the casting of Jensen will make or break the movie.

[kfish]

This is fantastic news! The book is great and the fact that it may become a movie bodes well fo it continuing to be published.

Originally posted by johnny.blaze
OK OK CASTING CALL:

Clay: George Pappard just kidding, George Clooney
Aisha: Rosario Dawson
Pooch: Vingh Rames (c'mon now who didn't see this?)
Cougar: Jason Statham (with a blond wig)
Jensen: John Heder (Napolean Dyanamite baby!) or Zach Braff

Stegler: Eastwood 'nuf said

Max: Rip Thorn
Roque: Joaquin Phoenix

My theory is that the casting of Jensen will make or break the movie.

Great casting choices.

[BlueThunderArmy]

Originally posted by johnny.blaze

Max: Rip Thorn

Is Rip Torn still alive???

[BaronSamedi]

Originally posted by hondo
I knew this title was going to get cancelled, even though it's definitely one of the best titles out there, just like Human Target was too.

This series was cancelled?! When? Crap, I but it every month, too.

EDIT: Never mind, just read the rest of the posts.

[Black Beetle]

What a coincidence. fellowship was just telling be to buy th trades and now the movie is announced.

[johnny.blaze]

Originally posted by BlueThunderArmy
Is Rip Torn still alive???

Hehehehe. He's still alive but that mystique of if whether he's alive or dead is another reason why he'd be good to play Max.

[Neuromancer]

Well, some of the "inner government is big evil" themes of the title were sort of annoying, both because of their being a little tired and a little hard to swallow in the face of 9/11, at least on my end, but you can't deny that Andy, Jock, and the various fill-in artists told an exciting, well-drawn little extended storyline, and I will be sad to lose this from my pull-list, for whatever reason it's ending. Best of luck with the movie!

BTW, my pick for a should-be-filmed non-superhero movie is definitely Three Days in Europe, followed by Astronauts in Trouble.

[The Marvel]

"just keep nic cage away from it"

From your mouth to God's ears...

[Robert_Coyner]

Good for them. Hope it happens. (Y'know... Old development hell can still rear its ugly head - among other things.)

I hope Diggle and Jock work together again after this though. I remember Diggle being asked if/when they would do their Batman vs. Lex Luthor project and he said they'd both like to, but Jock couldn't pencil both the Losers and that mini, so maybe that frees them up. Still, they would have been my pick to relaunch The Ultimates for Volume 3, or the Authority at Wildstorm. Even while those could be fun though, my real hope is that they get to handle another genre piece of their own choice and design...

[Andy Diggle]

Originally posted by blankpoint
He's being allowed to end it properly, but this ending is coming a bit earlier than they had originally planned for (about 10-12 issues earlier) because of the low sales. They were asked to keep with the main story thread and finish it up, instead of doing a couple more semi-independent arcs between the current story and the finale.

I don't know where you heard that, my friend, but I'm afraid it's pure fiction. As I said in an interview with Heidi Macdonald back in 2002, "The story I have planned out will take two or three years to tell." It's ending just where we always intended it to.

I actually offered to wrap the story up early, but DC declined - so I'm afraid your claim that they asked us to "finish it up early" couldn't be further from the truth.

Stories have a beginning, a middle and an an end. Issue 32 is where THE LOSERS' story ends.

[johnny.blaze]

Hey Andy!

How's it goin? So if you were given the task of assembling your dream cast for The Loser's movie who would you want?

Keep up the great work! You n Jock rock!

-JB