Netflix is developing a live-action feature take of the bestselling Boom! Studios comic series Irredeemable and its sister title Incorruptible with BAFTA-winning The Harder They Fall filmmaker Jeymes Samuel directing, Oscar-nominated scribe Kemp Powers writing and producers Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter and James Lassiter on board.
Samuel will also produce. Carter and Lassiter will produce through their overall deal at the streamer with Stephen Christy and Ross Richie from Boom! Studios. Powers and Adam Yoelin will serves as EPs.
In the graphic novel series, when the world’s most powerful and beloved superhero, the god-like Plutonian, inexplicably begins slaughtering everyone on Earth, the only person that can stop him is his former arch-nemesis, the super-powered villain Max Damage. Unwillingly thrust into the role of savior, Max must uncover the Plutonian’s mysterious past in order to discover how to bring him down. But can he discover what made the Plutonian go crazy before his own degenerative super powers cause him to lose his mind?
Irredeemable was ceated by Mark Waid (Kingdom Come) and illustrated by Peter Krause. Irredeemable is one of the most impactful series of its time, running for 37 issues and selling over 1.5 million copies. Incorruptible, follows supervillain Max Damage as he responded to the Plutonian’s evil by gradually transforming himself into a superhero. The sister series ran for 30 issues and sold over 1 million copies.
“Peter and I are thrilled to death that a writer and a director we both admire are bringing Irredeemable to life in a faithful and respectful way while inventing their own twists and turns,” said Waid.
“Their unique take on the comic makes it unlike any anti-hero story I’ve ever heard, and I love it.”
Irredeemable puts Netflix back in business with Samuel, who won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, Producer for The Harder They Fall recently at the BAFTAs. Samuel also composed the score for the movie in addition to writing, directing. The movie also reteams Samuel with Carter and Lassiter who produced The Harder They Fall.
Powers was the co-director and co-writer of Pixar’s Soul which won two Oscars last year for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. Powers’ screenplay for One Night in Miami, based on his play, was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is currently co-directing the animated feature Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for Sony.
As a musical artist, Carter counts over 125M records sold and 23 Grammy awards. Lassiter is the producer of films and television series such as I,Robot and I Am Legend, and Cobra-Kai.
Boom! Studios controls the largest library of comic book and graphic novel IP outside of Marvel and DC Comics, recently optioned the adaptation of Keanu Reeves’ BRZRKR to Netflix as a live-action feature film. The company also has numerous projects at the OTT studio through their first-look TV deal, including a live-action adaptation of hit comic series Something is Killing the Children with Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy and an animated adaptation of Mech Cadets.
Mette Norkjaer will oversee the project for Boom!
Samuel is repped by CAA and Matthew Johnson of Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP. Powers is repped by Gersh, Media Talent Group, and Tara Kole of Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP. Boom! Studios is repped by UTA and Matt Saver.