Gerard McMurray (The First Purge) will write and direct an adaptation of the comic book Black for Studio 8 and Warner Bros., Deadline has confirmed.
The comic introduced in 2016 by Black Mask Studios hails from writers Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3 and illustrators Jamal Igle and Khary Randolph, examining a world in which Black people alone have superpowers. The upcoming film will center on a young man who discovers his powers after surviving a violent crime, soon finding himself in the middle of a war over the future of humanity, in a world in which a secret society seeks to control the empowered and their abilities.
Jeff Robinov and John Graham will produce for Studio 8, alongside Black Mask Studio’s Matteo Pizzolo, with Osajyefo and Smith co-producing, and Black Mask’s Brett Gurewitz serving as exec producer.
McMurray previously helmed The First Purge, as well as Sundance breakout Burning Sands. He also recently helmed an episode of CBS All Access’ The Twilight Zone revival and will direct and exec produce FX’s upcoming series The Spook Who Sat by the Door.
McMurray is represented by WME, Artists First and Gang, Tyre, Ramer; Black Mask Studios by WME and The Framework Collective; and Osajyefo and Smith 3 by Weintraub Tobin Chediak.