The movie business tends to follow trends in a big way. When a movie idea leads to big box office numbers, we tend to see a lot of similar projects go into development. Right now, superhero movies are all the rage, but even within the genre of the superhero movie we tend to see films following fairly simple patterns that have proven successful. But there always has to a movie that is first, that sets the standard.
Black Panther was another comic book movie, just like many others in most ways, but the fact that the movie was a massive success with a largely African-American cast is what showed that particular idea will work. Now, Jamie Foxx is on deck to play another Black superhero, Todd McFarlane's Spawn, and he tells Yahoo he credits Black Panther for paving the way for his own role. According to Foxx...
I surprised Todd McFarlane. I said, ‘Bro, I know that one day you will do this movie, and I hope you will keep me in mind.’ What Black Panther did was let us know that it’s so necessary, and it’s the time. And Spawn is just an interesting character in itself. The heads that are being put together to bring you something special — look out.
Todd McFarlane has spoken before about the fact that Jamie Foxx had expressed interest in playing Spawn long before there was ever actually a plan to make the movie. The Academy Award winner just wanted to be sure he had a shot at the role if and when such a project happened. Since Jamie Foxx wanted the job, Jamie Foxx got the job. Of course, he may have never had the chance had it not been for Black Panther.
Of course Spawn, in addition to seeming like a good bet because of its similarities to Black Panther, will also be a test of its own as Spawn is set to be a true superhero-horror movie, which is something we haven't seen tried in the recent crop of superhero films. That makes the film something of a risk still. Of course, if Spawn is a hit we'll likely see other movies like that following it.
Although, when we might actually see such a Spawn movie is anybody's guess. The movie is in this weird place that feels like it isn't quite in development hell, the movie seems like it's much more of a "real" project than that. And yet, at the same time, there's no release date or any real time table as to when it might go into production.
Right now, even if there was a plan, it would be up in the air. Jamie Foxx is currently bulking up to play Mike Tyson, so no Spawn movie will be happening before that movie is finished filming. And that assumes that there aren't other projects for Foxx in between Tyson and Spawn. It seems likely that Spawn will get made, but it's also in no hurry.
