A year ago, Jodorowsky spoke with THR in-depth for the 40th anniversary of its launch.īefore signing on to The Incal, Waititi got the blessing of Jodorowsky, 92, during an emotional Zoom session in which the two men had a meeting of minds over the property. Jodorowsky dreamed up elements of The Incal when he attempted to direct an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune. “The goal is to give as much freedom as possible to our talent,” Humanoids Group COO Matthieu Coppet told THR.Īdapting The Incal is an ambitious task and is something of a full-circle moment for the title, as the comic can count another ambitious sci-fi adaptation as part of its origin story. Waititi could conceivably have a hand guiding the Jodoverse in both film and television. In comics, The Incal launched the Jodoverse, which includes titles such as The Metabarons and Megalex. It’s vast,” Humanoids CEO Fabrice Giger told The Hollywood Reporter. “We already have something very substantial, and it’s a complicated book. A first draft of the script is expected by the end of the year. Humanoids executives, who note the publisher has rebuffed inquiries from Hollywood over the years, say they prefer to have Waititi develop the script before deciding on distribution. No studio or streaming service is yet attached to the project and the Incal movie marks the first time publisher Humanoids has delved into the world of film. The movie is Humanoids Associates' 'first of many forays into film production,' the French publisher said in a press release, and comes as comic-book adaptations continue to dominate Hollywood and the global box office.Taika Waititi in Talks to Direct 'Klara and the Sun' Adaptation

'The films and graphic novels of Alejandro Jodorowsky have influenced me and so many others for so long,' Waititi said in a statement. Jodorowsky - a filmmaker in his own right - famously tried to make a highly ambitious movie version of 'Dune' in the 1970s, but ended up using elements of that failed project to write 'The Incal' soon after. He is compelled to save the universe, while undertaking a spiritual journey that takes in questions such as the meaning of existence. 'The Incal' has sold millions of copies around the world since its debut in the late 1970s, and is one of the highest-selling sci-fi graphic novels in history.Ī sprawling space opera, it follows bumbling intergalactic private eye John Difool as he finds a mystical artifact which is coveted by powerful factions across the galaxy.

Waititi said he was 'stunned to be given the opportunity' to bring the creation of cult Franco-Chilean comics writer Alejandro Jodorowsky and French artist Moebius to life. The New Zealander - who directed Marvel superhero hit 'Thor: Ragnarok' and won an Oscar for his 'Jojo Rabbit' screenplay - will also co-write the movie, said publisher Humanoids Associates.

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