Valiant Comics is making a big step in the creation of its movie universe, by bringing one of its best books to the table: The sublime Archer & Armstrong, which is joining Bloodshot, Harbinger and others in the Valiant cinematic universe.
Image: Valiant Comics. Art by David LaFuente.
A new report from The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Zombieland‘s Ruben Fleischer is currently set to direct the film adaptation, while Pirates of the Caribbean‘s Terry Rossio will write the script. The film is supposedly being developed in-house before being pitched to studios, and is not part of the deal that is bringing five movies based around Bloodshot and Harbinger to Sony. Talk of an Archer & Armstrong movie has been floating around for a while, but this seems like a fresh attempt at bringing the comic to life rather than a revival of a past one.
Personally, this is exactly the announcement I have wanted to hear ever since Valiant started making attempts to bring its comics to live action — this series is one of Valiant’s funniest and most unique books around at the minute. It follows the drunkard immortal Armstrong and his wild adventures with Archer, the wannabe assassin originally tasked with murdering Armstrong, who eventually becomes his best friend and partner-in-crime. (Except it’s not really crime when it’s stuff like punching evil nuns and riding away from spaceships on dinosaurs, right?)
It’s material that’s prime for making a comic book movie that skews a little more in the direction of something akin to Deadpool (without so much of the fourth wall destruction). Hopefully it finds a home at a studio soon enough.