Warren Ellis Bringing Gravel To The Screen

Gravel the comic book series by writer Warren Ellis and artist Mike Wolfer, has been optioned by Legendary Pictures, the same production company of Superman Returns. The acclaimed author will apparently be taking a much more active role in the project than he has with some of his previously optioned books.

According to Variety, Ellis will write the first draft of the Gravel screenplay. Gravel has appeared as multiple limited and ongoing comics series that have been published by Avatar Press. Ellis will also be an executive producer on the film.

Gravel follows a soldier in the British S.A.S. who moonlights as a for-hire “combat magician.” Ellis debuted the main character, William Gravel, during the 1999 Strange Kiss miniseries, which was followed by Stranger Kisses, Strange Killings and the subsequent ongoing Gravel series.

Ellis has become well known for his work on the popular comic book series Planetary, The Authority, Transmetropolitan and Astonishing X-Men. And he has been increasingly in demand in Hollywood. Ellis has worked on anime adaptations of the Marvel Comics character Wolverine and Iron Man, and there are movies in development based off of his comics series Ocean and Red.

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