Jean-David Morvan and Bengal’s BD graphic novel Naja, has been optioned by Thunder Road Pictures, Entertainment 360, and Nickel City Productions, Variety is reporting. The graphic novel was published in the U.S. by Magnetic Press in 2014 (see “Archaia, BOOM! Vets Form New Publisher”), prior to the publisher’s acquisition by Lion Forge Comics. Similar to Lucy and Le Femme Nikita, Naja tells the story of a female assassin who is unable to feel pain. She is suddenly targeted by other contract killers so she must disappear and find out who put a hit on her. J. P. Davis (The Neighbor) is writing the script and Cedric Nicolas-Troyan (The Huntsman: Winter’s War) is set to direct.
Protagonist Pictures has hired UK director James Strong to direct its J.R.R. Tolkien biopic Middle Earth, according to Deadline. Strong has directed TV series Downton Abbey, Doctor Who, and Torchwood, as well as the film United. The screenplay is written by Angus Fletcher, who spent six years researching and interviewing those close to Tolkien. Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, who greenlit Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy while they worked at New Line Cinema, will produce under their Unique Features banner. Rachael Horovitz will also produce.
DC Films’ Justice League has found its villain in Game of Thrones actor Ciaran Hinds. Hinds, who played Mance Rayder on Thrones, will portray Steppenwolf, The Wrap is reporting. Steppenwolf is a supervillain character who was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in New Gods Vol 1 #7 in 1972. He is a member of Darkseid’s Elite and leads the military of Apokolips. The movie role is a motion capture character from an alien planet.
