Guy Ritchie to direct 'Lobo'

Guy Ritchie has signed on to direct his first superhero movie, “Lobo,” a big-screen translation of the DC Comics anti-hero.

Silver Pictures is co-producing the Warners production with Weed Road. Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman, and Andrew Rona are producing.

Lobo is an blue-skinned cigar-chomping alien who is an interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter. The character is one of DC’s more recent creations (he was introduced in the 1980s by creators Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen) and for a brief run in the 1990s, was one of comicdom’s most popular characters.

Lobo was meant to serve as a parody of violent heroes such as Wolverine and the Punisher, with his stories featuring a nihilistic streak tinged with dark comedy and excessive violence. (One story had him killing his daughter and all his illegitimate children that she had amassed to rub him out.)

Don Payne wrote the script.

Jon Berg is shepherding for Warners, which is looking to begin production early next year. Gregory Noveck oversees for DC.

Steve Richards and Kerry Foster are exec producing.

Doug Liman was previously attached to direct the project, though Silver, who has been developing the project for the last 10 years, was looking to reunite with Ritchie, with whom he just wrapped “Sherlock Holmes.”

Ritchie, repped by CAA, is also attached to direct “The Gamekeeper,” based on the Virgin Comics title.

Comments

[Zargotron]

Most recent creations? REALLY?!?! He was created three decades ago. For fuck's sake, that is just an idiotic statement.

[Farttron]

Well, Zargotron is an idiotic name.

[j. jackson]

Want to make a bad movie...Hire Guy Ritchie.

Want to ruin a franchise...Hire McG.

[Korean Ginseng]

I'll agree that Ritchie has had far from a perfect career, but I personally think that those "two good movies" are spectacular so I'm willing to give him a chance. I'm also happy that a bigger name director is attached for this rather than some actual hack.

As far as the PG13 issue goes, I would rather see it R to be sure. Especially with Lobo. But your indication that the movie can't possibly be good just because it is PG13 is rubbish. You can get away with a lot with PG13 these days.

[high speed card]

Sherlock Holmes wasn't made of gold, but it was entertaining enough (and apparently profitable enough) to warrant a sequel. As an avid comic book read and comic book store lurker, I don't know anyone looking forward to a Lobo movie. The character is basically a parody of Wolverine and I'm not sure they can actually make a more rediculous film than the Wolverine film.