Deadline reported that the FOX Network has optioned the DC Comics supernatural hero The Spectre as a potential TV series.
Brandon Camp (JOHN DOE) has been commissioned to write the script and if greenlighted, executive produce along with Bill Gerber (QUEEN OF THE DAMNED).
The Spectre was created by artist Benard Bailey and writer Jerry Siegel (co-creator of Superman). Debuting in More Fun Comics #52 in 1940.
The Spectre was originally the ghost of murdered police detective Jim Corrigan, permitted to return to a kind of life and required to function as a supernatural crime-fighter.
In more recent years, DC has presented The Spectre as a kind of Avenging Angel or non-corporeal spirit, the very personification of Vengeance. He’s now considered an immortal being who only possessed the resurrected body of Corrigan, and later inhabited the bodies of former Green Lantern Hal Jordan (ridding him of his possession by Parallax) and Crispus Allen, a Gotham City policeman( killed by a police technician coincidently named Jim Corrigan —though not intended to be the Golden/Silver Age character).
He’s been a part of The Justice Society, and sometimes comes to the aid of other superheroes when they are faced with occult forces. Without regularly uniting with a human host, The Spectre can lose all sense of perspective and become increasingly harsh, erratic, cruel and violent.
Thus far. The Spectre has only appeared in animated form, such as in BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, voiced by Mark Hamill, and the DC SHOWCASE: THE SPECTRE solo short, voiced by Gary Cole. (Included on the JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS DVD.)
Warner Brothers Television and Gerber Productions will produce, should Fox commission a pilot or series.
Tag: THE SPECTRE
DC Showcase, Return Of Black Adam
Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video have announced DC SHOWCASE; “a series of animated shorts featuring characters from the celebrated DC Comics vault.”
“On November 9, 2010, Warner Home Video will distribute the DC SHOWCASE Original Shorts Collection, the first quartet of animated adventures featuring the never-before-seen SUPERMAN/SHAZAM! : THE RETURN OF BLACK ADAM, as a Special Edition Blu-Ray™ for $29.99 (SRP) and single disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP).
DC SHOWCASE animated shorts initially appeared as special bonus content on the 2010 slate of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. The 10- to 12-minute films include The Spectre, Jonah Hex and Green Arrow. All three titles will be presented in extended formats along with the first-ever release of SUPERMAN/SHAZAM! : THE RETURN OF BLACK ADAM.
In SUPERMAN/SHAZAM! : THE RETURN OF BLACK ADAM, Clark Kent’s latest interview subject is street kid Billy Batson. What Clark doesn’t know is that Billy is more than a feisty kid with a lot of heart – he has been chosen by an ancient wizard to represent the good of man as the World’s Mightiest Mortal just by invoking the name of the wizard, “Shazam!”
Billy’s powers come none-too-soon, as he also discovers he’s being pursued by a centuries’ old, murderous villain, Black Adam – a foe so powerful, even Superman can’t stop him alone. The all-star cast of SUPERMAN/SHAZAM! : THE RETURN OF BLACK ADAM is led by Jerry O’Connell (CROSSING JORDAN) as Captain Marvel, George Newbern reprising his Justice League role as Superman, Arnold Vosloo (THE MUMMY) as Black Adam and two-time Emmy Award® winner James Garner (8 SIMPLE RULES) as The Wizard.
Bruce Timm (SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY) is executive producer and Joaquim Dos Santos (JUSTICE LEAGE, AVATAR: The Last Airbender) is director of the first series of DC Showcase titles. Michael Jelenic (WONDER WOMAN) wrote the 22-minute script.
Other shorts included on the DC SHOWCASE Original Shorts Collection:
THE SPECTRE – A detective story with an ethereal twist featuring an otherworldly character. The short is written by Steve Niles (30 DAYS OF NIGHT), and the voice cast includes Gary Cole (ENTOURAGE) and Alyssa Milano (CHARMED).
JONAH HEX – The tough-as-nails bounty hunter always gets his man – until someone else gets to him first – in this case a murderous madam who wants to steal more than just his bounty from Jonah Hex. Based on a story from the award-winning Jonah Hex comic series, and scripted by world-renowned author Joe Lansdale. The voice cast is led by Thomas Jane (HUNG), Linda Hamilton (THE TERMINATOR), Michelle Trachtenberg (MERCY, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) and Michael Rooker (DAYS OF THUNDER).
GREEN ARROW – At the Star City International Airport to pick up his girlfriend, Oliver Queen is forced into action as Green Arrow to protect the 10-year-old Princess of Vlatava from his old nemesis Merlyn the Magnificent and the League of Assassins. Greg Weisman (Young Justice) pens this action-packed tale, which features the voices of Neal McDonough (DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) as the title character and Malcolm McDowell (ENTOURAGE) as his foe.
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection 1-Disc Special Edition DVD features more than 1 hour of exciting extra content, including:
• Four animation shorts (est. 62 min)
• Four additional bonus TV series episodes handpicked by Bruce Timm
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection Blu-Ray™ features more than 2 1/2 hours of exciting extra content, including:
• Four animation shorts (est. 62 min)
• Commentaries by renowned writers Steve Niles, Joe Lansdale, Greg Weisman and Michael Jelenic
• Four additional bonus TV series episodes handpicked by Bruce Timm
• Digital copy online of the shorts”
For those too young to remember, DC’s Showcase comic book was an anthology title in which the company would give new characters a try-out. The Silver-Age Flash, Challengers of the Unknown, The Creeper, and Adam Strange all made their debut in the comic, which lasted from 1956 to 1970 in its original run.