Kevin Smith is currently working on a spin-off that will take place in the world of Spawn. For those unfamiliar, Spawn is about an anti-hero from hell who hunts demons and takes vengeance on evil, despite his powers being inherently demonic. The Clerks director now is on board for a BBC series that will undoubtedly benefit from his vast comic book knowledge and love of geek culture. Smith will direct, write and executive produce a series based on two popular characters from the Spawn comics, Sam and Twitch.
Sam and Twitch are two NYPD homicide detectives who are human confidants to Spawn. The characters started off as collaborators and then became so popular with fans that they got their own spin-off comic series. Deadline writes the series is described as a "police procedural," so expect the duo to be investigating and even witnessing some supernatural events. While each episodes themselves will be self-contained, there will be character development that will carry over as the story is told.
In the comics, Sam and Twitch primarily deals with murder and investigations tied to the occult. Sam is the brawn of the group, and is quick to anger. His partner Twitch is the brains and pretty crafty as well. Together they battle in a New York City unfamiliar to superheroes and supernatural things. While the two are considered allies of Spawn, they work independently of the anti-hero and mostly handle cases on their own.
Kevin Smith is not only a comic book history buff, he's a comic book writer as well. The director has written stories for Batman, Spider-Man, Daredevil and a couple others, and has even won some awards for doing so. He's also had success with heroes in television, and has recently directed episodes of The Flash and Supergirl. Does Smith have what it takes to tackle the dark world of Spawn, though?
Kevin Smith could be considered a horror buff as well, with directing credits for a few features in the genre. While Red State, Tusk and Yoga Hosers weren't met with universal acclaim from Horror fans, they certainly show signs that Smith will succeed in the world of Spawn. Some of the characters in those films are very reminiscent of the weird villains we saw in the original Spawn film (which starred Michael Jai White), so I think Smith's love of bizarre Horror and superheroes will make for an awesome combination in Sam and Twitch.
Kevin Smith isn't always a home run hitter with heroes, however. The director famously flubbed up a script that featured Tim Burton directing a film with Nicolas Cage starring as Superman. Thankfully, the film never saw the light of day, but made for a pretty awesome documentary. I think the problem there was Smith trying to force weirdness on a character who wasn't weird. The world of Spawn is inherently weird, and I think if Smith is able to have full creative control, Sam and Twitch is in good hands. The series is still in development, so no word on release as of yet, but we'll keep you posted when we hear more details! In the meantime, why not look up what else BBC has coming this season in our midseason premiere guide?
