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Shane Black Revives 'The Executioner' for Sony
24 Mar
Summary
- Shane Black to write and potentially direct 'The Executioner' adaptation.
- Sony Pictures now controls all screen rights to the iconic book series.
- The series sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide across 464 books.
Sony Pictures has acquired the screen rights to Don Pendelton's "The Executioner" book series, with Shane Black attached to write and potentially direct. This move consolidates all rights, which have been complicated for decades, under Sony's banner.
Black will collaborate with frequent partners Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry on the script. Veteran producer Joel Silver is also attached, reuniting with Black on a project. Don Murphy and Susan Montford are producing as well, having managed the rights for years.
The "Executioner" series, totaling 464 books, followed the adventures of sniper Mark Bolan. Originally penned by Pendelton, the books were later ghostwritten and achieved massive global sales, spawning spin-offs. Numerous attempts to adapt the series for film have occurred over the years, with stars like Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, and Steve McQueen previously attached.
This deal represents a full-circle moment for Silver, who previously tried to adapt the series in the early 1990s. Black, a known aficionado of pulp fiction, considers "The Executioner" among his favorite series. The collaboration promises to bring a classic action hero to the modern screen.
