These two updates flew under the radar for me in the last few months but it’s worth taking a look at what’s arisen from Burbank-based Big Machine. The company is currently associated with several parties on at least two forthcoming adaptations of exciting comic book and sci-fi properties, first of which dates back to a Geoff Boucher’s Deadline exclusive back in March for 2018 Image Comics publication, Bitter Root.
In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family can save New York—and the world—from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But the once-great family of monster hunters has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. The Sangerye Family must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences… or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race.
Legendary Pictures reportedly acquired the project for feature film development a few month ago. David F. Walker, Chuck Brown and artist Sanford Greene, the creators of the comic book that garnered hit status since releasing last November, are executive producing the film along with Big Machine’s own Sean Owolo.
“Hopefully Bitter Root is just the beginning. It’s an exciting time to be in the content creation business not only for me personally but for Big Machine as a company!”, said Owolo.
Owolo’s company is also involved with The Wolper Company for at least one other sci-fi property, Number 13, launched in 2012 from Dark Horse Comics and created by David Love and artist Robert Walker. The two firms are jointly developing a feature-length adaptation of the hit comic – the latest move into cinema that aptly follows up on Big Machine co-founder, filmmaker Steve Petersen’s own stunning three minute proof-of-concept sci-fi which premiered on the Dust YouTube channel in July 2017. According to the comic’s own Facebook fanpage, Legendary had initially landed this project back in 2014 as well.
The young bionic amnesiac known as Number 13 searches for answers and his creator, in a future world that’s been brought to its knees by the vicious Monstrum Morbus plague. Weakened by his last explosive encounter, Number 13 is discovered by a group of curious, scavenging mutants who have banded together for survival. They dub him “Thirteen” and invite him to join their group—and one of them knows exactly what horrible purpose he was built for!
Big Machine is an Emmy-award winning company that has some immense TV credits to its name for networks like AMC, Discovery ID, Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild, along with some notable shortfilm proofs to boot; Petersen first landed on our radar for The Hit List with Erebus, amazing sci-fi shortfilm venture back in 2016. That project was an electric showcase of martial arts and sci-fi visuals penned by Craig Fernandez, and featuring Yoshi Sudarso of Buffalo Boys fame.
Three months is enough time to see if any changes have been made but these are the facts as they stand. Hopefully it won’t be too long before more gets announced, but these both read as highly promising ventures from ambitious and creative minds in the world of sci-fi and comics. Don’t fall asleep on these.