An adaptation of acclaimed graphic novel Black Hole has been in development for what seems like forever. Neil Gaiman and Pulp Fiction co-writer Roger Avery took a crack at the script a few times, and David Fincher was attached to the project for a while before dropping out in 2010, but it looks like there’s finally significant movement on a film adaptation.
Rick Famuyiwa (Dope) has signed on to write and direct an adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel by Charles Burns, which revolves around a group of teens in the 1970s who contract a sexually transmitted disease known as “the bug” that manifests as grotesque mutations.
The 12-issue graphic novel gained heaps of praise and a cult following in the ten years Burns spent writing it, along with receiving a host of awards. Famuyiwa earned his own respective buzz after Dope broke out at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and was also one of the many filmmakers attached to direct Warner Bros.’ The Flash before departing that snake-bitten project.
Black Hole is so good that any adaptation, no matter who is at the helm, would be exciting. But when you pair the source material with an exciting, upcoming director that has proven to have a fresh, interesting voice, that’s cause for celebration.
There will be a lot of pressure on the film – now being produced by Plan B and New Regency – just because it’s a tantalising project that’s been sitting in development hell for so long, but there’s every chance it meets our expectations too now that it’s set to finally have a driving creative force behind it.
#Peace.Love.BlackHole
