Attention all goths and comic book fans: it looks like the long-awaited reboot of Spawn might soon become a reality. Jason Blum, the CEO of Blumhouse Productions recently gave an update on the project to ComicBook, noting that the project is very actively still in development, however, it has hit a snag given the ongoing WGA strike. Blum also noted that the film is expected to release in 2025, although that’s not a guarantee with the current state of the industry.

Blum sat down with ComicBook to discuss his most recent project, Insidious: The Red Door, the latest installation in the Insidious franchise. Of the long-awaited Spawn project, Blum said “I would say you have a lot to hope for because it’s in very very active development.” However, he also noted that “What needs to happen is that my fellow friends, the writers and the studios, need to figure out their differences and get back to writing, but we’ve got a great group of folks putting it together, and my hope is that that movie— my prediction is maybe we’ll actually see a Spawn movie in ’25. No promises, but that’s my prediction.”

From Blum‘s statements, it looks like the project, which is close to entering production, does not yet have a finished script. And no script will be completed until the ongoing WGA strike is resolved. But as of now, no end seems to be in sight and studios are unwilling to negotiate with striking writers, who are advocating for better employment terms, among a myriad of other issues.

A Long Road to Production

The new Spawn reboot was originally announced in 2015, however, it has been a long, and seemingly endless road to production. As of October 2022, it was announced that Scott Silver, Malcolm Spellman, and Matthew Mixon would rewrite the screenplay for the film. Jamie Foxx is currently attached to star as the titular comic book character as of the latest 2022 update. Todd McFarlane, the president of Image Comics and creator of the original comic series, was originally set to direct the film, however, as of March 2023, he has stepped back from that aspect of the project.

Blum did not indicate if the project was still in line with McFarlane‘s vision, although the fact that McFarlane has stepped away from both the screenplay and directing duties is not necessarily encouraging news. The character of Spawn was originated by McFarlane, and the first comic featuring Spawn was released in 1992. The character of Spawn, and his comic series feature dark, gothic overtones. A film adaptation of the comic was released in 1997, which has since found a devoted audience that considers it one of the best comic-book films developed outside of Marvel or DC.

The new reboot of the film would lean further into the horror aspect of the property, aiming for a solid R-rating, and with Blumhouse attached to the project there is no doubt that the horror aspect will be taken care of. You can catch Blumhouse‘s next horror movie on the big screen when Insidious: The Red Door hits theaters on July 7, 2023.

via Collider