David Lowery to Adapt Brian Michael Bendis' TORSO
Ain't Them Bodies Saints director David Lowery is set to write and direct the big screen adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis' crime thriller graphic novel Torso. This movie has been in and out of development for over a decade. At one point, David Fincher was attached to direct it and Matt Damon was going to star. The movie ended up getting shut down due to the high budget, but it sure would have been great!
The film will depict the true story of Elliot Ness’ time after his Al Capone days, when he moved to Cleveland and got embroiled in the hunt of a serial killer who was leaving torsos in the river and taunting notes to police. 13 people were killed between 1934 and 1938, and they took place while Ness was city safety director. The murders were never solved.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints was a solid movie, and I'm sure Lowery will do a fine job adapting the comic for the big screen. He will be starting from scratch, and it will be developed as a lower-budget kind of indie style movie. I hope he can pull it off and turn it into a great movie! Bendis has been hoping the movie would eventually get made, and here's what he had to say...
It’s a cool true story that very little people know of. You think you know the story of Elliot Ness? You don't. You know the story of serial killers? You don't. And that’s how I kept the faith.
Here's a description of the graphic novel:
Cleveland: 1935. Eliot Ness, fresh from his legendary Chicago triumph over Al Capone and associates, set his sights on Cleveland and went on a crusade that matched, and sometimes even surpassed, his past accomplishments. Dismembered body parts have started washing up in a concentrated area of Lake Erie Sound. Their headless torsos have left no clues to their identity or the reason for death. Elliot Ness and his colorful gang of "The Unknowns" chased this killer through the underbelly of Cleveland for years. As far as the public was concerned he was never captured. But what really happened is even more shocking. This award-winning collection includes a historic photo essay of the actual murders. Torso was nominated for an International Horror Guild award for best graphic story and for 3 International Eagle Awards.