It’s no secret that 1997’s Spawn, which came out just five years after the eponymous Image Comics character debuted, wasn’t critically well received. As such, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane spent many years working to get a new movie off the ground, and in summer 2017, it was announced that McFarlane was partnering with Blumhouse Productions to make a Spawn reboot.
We haven’t heard any major updates on this project lately, but Jason Blum, the founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, recently stated that Spawn is taking some promising steps forward. In his words:
I'm glad you asked. There has been an enormous amount of activity on Spawn. No new news that I'm going to reveal here, I'm sorry to tell you, but the title Spawn, I've been uttering that word a lot in the last two or three weeks and we'll have more news to come. But, suffice it to say, it is a very active development.
So while Jason Blum wasn’t willing to delve into specifics, he’s made it abundantly clear that Spawn has not been put on ice. Quite the opposite in fact, as Blum added in his interview with Comicbook.com that there’s been a “seismic event” on Spawn. The project hasn’t become a pipe dream for the production company; it's something that’s still making progress.
When can we expect the next big Spawn update? That’s hard to say, but considering that it’s been almost three full years since Blumhouse decided to get into the Spawn business, it’d be nice to hear some concrete information about what’s being planned, particularly on the filming front since the movie’s production has already been delayed several times.
At least Spawn has already made some progress on the casting front. In May 2018, it was announced that Jamie Foxx (who already has some comic book movie experience under his belt from playing Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2) would play the lead, a.k.a Albert Simmons, who becomes a demonic entity after making a deal with a devil named Malebolgia following his death. As of this past March, Foxx is still attached to the role.
In July 2018, Jeremy Renner was cast as Detective Twitch Williams, who was a key player in the early Spawn comics alongside his partner, Sam Burke. Unlike with Jamie Foxx, it’s unclear if Renner is still on board with Spawn or if someone else will take on that role, which is another reason why an update would be most welcome.
Among the reasons Spawn has been taking a long time to move forward is story-related, as last winter, Todd McFarlane revealed that an unidentified individual was polishing the script before presenting it to major studios. McFarlane also mentioned that the success of Joker reignited interest in Spawn, as the Clown Prince of Crime origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix was a shining example of how well an R-rated comic book adaptation can perform.
Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for any major updates concerning Spawn’s development. For now, keep track of what’s expected to arrive in theaters later this year with our 2020 release schedule.
