Congrats comic fans, you have another TV adaptation to gorge on. Jessica Jones co-creator Brian Michael Bendis has revealed that another one of his characters is earmarked for television.
Deadline reports that this intriguing nugget of information tumbled out at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, where Bendis shared that the Icon imprint comic Scarlet will follow in the footsteps of Alias and Powers as television tapped projects. This time around it’s being developed for the ol’ timey TV outpost old folks refer to as “cable.”
Speaking about his ongoing comics work, Bendis said “I do a book called Scarlet which is soon to be announced also in our universe of television. Not announced yet, but HBO.” Bendis was careful to add that the project is “at the earliest stage,” but that “the team around it…will be announced as soon as all are on the same page.”
The “earliest stage” disclaimer checks out. Not long after Deadline shared what Bendis had to say, they got confirmation that Scarlet will be developed for Cinemax and not HBO. Seeing as Cinemax is a sister station to HBO, it’s easy to understand why this might be a bit confusing. The upside is that Cinemax is better known for The Knick and Outcast these days than softcore thrills for horny teens, so there’s reason to be excited. (Although you’re still allowed to be excited about Max After Dark. We’re not here to shame.)
Making its debut in 2010, the Bendis penned and Alex Maleev illustrated series Scarlet follows the exploits of Scarlet Rue. Her stance against unjust authority sparks a revolution and there’s reason to believe the program (if it does reach the broadcast stage) will make the most of its pay cable freedom. Heck, Bendis noted that what Cinemax is developing is something that might inconceivable for air someplace else.
“Scarlet is a list of things you can’t get made. Here’s a female lead who’s killing cops because her world is broken.” But, he says, “when it was sold it was sold to people who were actively looking for that, so that put us in a good place. So stay tuned.”
Tuned we shall stay, BMB. Tuned we shall stay.
(via Deadline)
