DOC SAVAGE is Now Being Developed as an Adventure TV Series
Years ago, Shane Black was developing a feature film adaptation of Doc Savage with Dwayne Johnson set to star. After Johnson was officially attached to the project, though, we didn’t hear any more news from it. It’s been about four years since Johnson joined the project, and I just assumed that the project died.
Well, today’s news pretty much confirms that, as we’ve learned that Sony Pictures Television and producer Neal H. Moritz are currently developing a scripted television series based on the Doc Savage pulp fiction franchise. As for the film, apparently is was cursed with “business affairs-related issues had hindered the project.”
Doc Savage was a 1930s pulp hero popularized on radio, film, and TV. Savage’s real name is Clark Savage, Jr., and he’s a physician, surgeon, scientist, adventurer, inventor, explorer, researcher, and a musician. He's basically every amazing adventure hero such as James Bond, Indiana Jones, and Batman rolled into one.
The scripted series will “chronicle his adventures, featuring rampaging dinosaurs, secret societies led by dastardly villains, fantastic gadgets and weapons, death-dealing traps, hair-raising escapes, and plots to rule the earth.”
While I was excited for the film, a series might be suited better for the character! You can tell more stories with a series and really dig deep into the character and who he is. Doc Savage is such an incredible character as well, so the more he is explored, the better!
Moritz obviously felt the same way, as the report says he felt “with hundreds of characters and myriad stories featured in the books, the Doc Savage IP would be better served as a TV series where there is more time to explore characters.”
The series is in early development, but I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together. Hopefully, they bring in a talented creative team and a great actor to play the title character.
Source: Deadline