Valiant, Sony Rev Up HARBINGER WARS With Stahelski, Leitch To Direct And More!

Independent comic book platform Valiant Comics struck big with a nine-figure deal a month and a half ago when it partnered with Chinese investment firm, DMG Entertainment to help pitch its numerous comic book properties with a lean toward film production. What’s as important as this, though, is how the source material gets tackled, which means who will be the team behind the forthcoming productions of such titles as Bloodshot and Harbinger.

Well, for starters, at least two people so far, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who have made their way in the ranks as stunt professionals and second unit directors through their directorial debut, John Wick, late last year are now up to helm the former with producers Fast And Furious franchise Neal Moritz and Toby Jaffe producing, while the latter seeks a director. These morsel are included in a flurry of other exciting new details announcing Valiant’s official five-movie partnership with Sony in an effort toward a new comic book initiative for Bloodshot and Harbinger building up to the fifth film, Harbinger Wars.

Leitch and Stahelski made a killing with John Wick last year with plans now moving forward with a sequel as well as other titles, namely actor Chris Pratt’s upcoming role in Cowboy Ninja Viking and the new Cinemax series, Rain, while the seventh Fast franchise installment, Furious Seven, became the fastest to become number one movie in America and the world within the first two weeks of its release from Universal. Rest assured, Valiant and Sony have some great film muscle to flex and should surely establish the company very well by 2017 with the Marvel and DC cineverses still in the mix. Cue the press release (H/T: Nothing But Comics)

Valiant Entertainment and Sony Pictures today announced a deal to bring two of Valiant’s award-winning comic book superhero franchises—BLOODSHOT and HARBINGER—to the big screen over the course of five feature films that will culminate in the shared universe crossover film, HARBINGER WARS. 

BLOODSHOT, arriving in theaters in 2017, will kick off the five-picture plan leading to HARBINGER WARS and will be directed by David Leitch & Chad Stahelski (John Wick) from a script by Jeff Wadlow (Kick Ass 2) and Eric Heisserer (Story of Your Life). Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe fromOriginal Film (The Fast and the Furious franchise) and Dinesh Shamdasani from Valiant Entertainment will produce the film. Matthew Vaughn and Jason Kothari will serve as executive producers. 

HARBINGER will follow shortly thereafter from a script by Eric Heisserer (Story of Your Life). Sony and Valiant remain tight-lipped about potential directors. Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe from Original Film (The Fast and the Furious franchise) and Dinesh Shamdasani from Valiant Entertainment will produce. 

Both BLOODSHOT and HARBINGER will be followed by sequels before the title characters confront each other head on in HARBINGER WARS—a motion picture directly inspired by Valiant’s critically acclaimed 2013 comic book crossover of the same name. Andrea Giannetti will oversee the five-picture HARBINGER WARS initiative for Sony Pictures. 

“Valiant is one of the most successful publishers in the history of comics, and Neal is one of the best action producers in the business today. This is a formidable partnership that will bring two incredibly commercial franchises with global appeal together on the big screen,” said Sony Entertainment Motion Picture Group President Doug Belgrad. “The long-term plan that begins with BLOODSHOT will be a considerable priority for Sony in the months and years to come.” 

Brought back from the dead and infused with cutting-edge nanotechnology by private security contractor Project Rising Spirit, Bloodshot is a nearly unstoppable killing machine equipped with enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and healing. Created by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin, and Bob Layton in 1992, Bloodshot is one of the most successful new comic book characters of the past two decades with more than 100 issues published and lifetime sales of more than 7 million copies in multiple languages around the world. After returning with a sold-out new series in 2012, Bloodshot’s latest chapter recently began with the release of Bloodshot Reborn #1 in April—the first issue of a new series from New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire and artist Mico Suayan. 

Centered on telekinetic teenage runaway Peter Stanchek and his recruitment into the mysterious Harbinger Foundation by secretive CEO and philanthropist Toyo Harada, Harbinger was created by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter and artist David Lapham in 1992. Having sold more than 5 million copies worldwide in multiple languages across more than 60 issues, Harbinger returned with a new series in 2012 to multiple sold-out printings and widespread critical acclaim. 

Bloodshot and Harbinger collide in Harbinger Wars—Valiant’s 2013 crossover event from writers Joshua Dysart and Duane Swierczynski with art by Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain, and Pere Perez. Valiant’s first crossover of the modern era, Harbinger Wars would go on to become the year’s best-selling crossover event from an independent publisher and spawned multiple sold-out printings. 

“Bloodshot and Harbinger are two of the great untapped franchises anywhere in comics,” said producer and founder of Original Film, Neal H. Moritz. “In partnership with Sony and Valiant, we look forward to building the next great generation of superhero films.” 

“Sony Pictures and Neal Moritz are the ideal partners to bring the world of Bloodshot and Harbinger to life,” said Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “They understand exactly what makes these characters tick and the exciting potential that they hold. These films are just the first step in partnership with Sony to bring Valiant’s biggest heroes to new audiences worldwide.” 

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2015, Valiant is one of the most successful comic book publishing companies in the history of the medium with more than 81 million comics sold and a library of more than 2,000 distinct characters. Established by a brain trust of legendary comics creators, Valiant’s heroes and villains inhabit the largest independently owned superhero universe anywhere in comics. Re-established in 2005 as Valiant Entertainment, the company returned to great commercial and critical success in 2012, winning a Diamond Gem Award for Publisher of the Year and numerous industry awards and accolades. To date, Valiant’s titles consistently rate among the best reviewed in comics. 

Valiant’s comic book universe—which includes the best-selling superheroes Bloodshot, Harbinger, X-O Manowar, Shadowman, and Archer & Armstrong, among many others—is characterized by a grounded, character-driven approach to storytelling. Its stories take place in a world only subtly removed from our own—one inspired by real-world science and inhabited by morally ambiguous heroes that often forgo capes and secret identities. 

In March, Valiant announced that it partnered with Beijing-based entertainment company DMG for nine-figures of film financing capital for the production of theatrical films and television programs based on Valiant’s library of iconic superhero characters. 

With over fifty films released, Neal Moritz’s worldwide box office gross exceeds $7 billion. His hits include: the Jump Street  franchise, The Fast and The Furious franchise, I Am Legend, XXX, Click, Sweet Home Alabama, S.W.A.T., Battle: Los Angeles, and The Green Hornet. 

In addition to BLOODSHOT, HARBINGER, and HARBINGER WARS, Moritz also has several films in development with Sony Pictures, including Passengers, Christian the Lion, 23 Jump Street, Cliffhanger, Rockets Red Glare, and A Prophet.