Fox Acquires Rights To James Wan’s Graphic Novel ‘Malignant Man’
ThatJames Wanguy is everywhere. After influencing the horror genre multiple times in the past few years (withSawandInsidious) he’s currently producing the thirdInsidious, directingFast and Furious 7, and now selling the rights to a graphic novel he wrote with an eye to direct. The graphic novel is calledMalignant Man, and follows a man who thinks he suffers from cancer, only to realize his aliment is actually a mysterious, powerful parasite that gives him powers. Read more about James Wan’sMalignant Manbelow.
Deadlinebroke the news.Malignant Manwas first published in 2012 bySimon and Schuster. It’s written by Wan andMichael Alan Nelsonwith illustrations byPiotr Kowalski. With Fox acquiring the rights, Wan will now develop the graphic novel hoping to direct.
Here’s the official description ofMalignant Man:
Alan Gates, a cancer patient with a terminal diagnosis, is resigned to his fate…until he discovers that his tumor is actually a mysterious parasite! Granted a second lease on life and incredible, otherworldly powers, Alan must fight against an evil army buried beneath society’s skin, all the while unlocking the secrets of his forgotten past. Dark, twisted, and unique, MALIGNANT MAN is a sci-fi thriller that can’t be missed!
I love the idea of “an evil army buried beneath society’s skin,” setting up a scenario where anyone could be infected with this terrible enemy. And though the description describesMalignant Manas a “sci-fi thriller,” to me it sounds more like a horror-based superhero film. Certainly the idea of the enemy being below the skin conjures images of peeling, scalping, etc. James Wan famously said he’s done with horror but he obviously can’t totally get away from the violence and scares that made him such a massive success.
Whether or not this film will be Wan’s next afterFast and Furious 7remains to be seen. Depending on the level of success of that film, it will likely open dozens of other doors for the director. Maybe an8th Fast and Furious, maybe another franchise film, an original screenplay, the sky is the limit. But with this, Fox has given Wan the chance to take his on-page vision to the big screen, and that’s obviously exciting.
Have you readMalignant Man?
