EXCLUSIVE: We can tell you first that Maze Runner franchise filmmaker Wes Ball is attached to direct Paramount Pictures’ adaptation of Valiant Comic’sHarbinger, which remains in development at the studio.
The comic follows a group of teens with superpowers who go up against the corporation that tried to exploit their talents.
Andrew Lanham, who co-wrote the $432M-grossing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is adapting the most recent iteration of the project.
The Melrose Lot took Harbingerin September 2019 as the project’s producer Neal Moritz has a first look deal at Paramount.
Ball’s Oddball Entertainment, as Deadline first reported, has a first look deal at Paramount. Ball and Joe Hartwick Jr. are producing for Oddball, while Moritz and Toby Jaffe are producing for Original Film. Dan Mintz is producing for Valiant Entertainment.
At one point in time when the project was at Sony, Dylan O’Brien and Noah Centineo were circling. At this point in time, Paramount hasn’t had any talks with talent as Harbinger remains in the works. Ball has a reboot of Planet of the Apes,which he’s attached to direct, over at Disney, but I understand that a script is currently being worked on by the filmmaker and Josh Friedman.
Ball directed the $948M-plus global grossing YA franchise adaptation,Maze Runnerat 20th Century Fox. Lanham’s previous feature writing credits include Just Mercy,the Vincent D’Onofrio directed western,The Kid, The Glass CastleandThe Shack.
Ball is repped by WME and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Lanham is repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham.
Moritz hasSonic the Hedgehog 2 opening on April 8. The first movie made $319.7M WW before theaters closed due to Covid. A new Super Bowl spot dropped today.