MGM Options JMS' "Rising Stars" Comic Series

[The Nth Doctor]

MGM has optioned J. Michael Stracynski's Rising Stars comic series, according to Deadline.

He is set to write the script, and Alex Gartner and Richard Suckle will produce for Atlas Entertainment. No other details at this time.

I'm pretty excited about this. I loved the series (especially volume 1) although I'm still disappointed that art in volume 3 was largely terrible. I often feel like Rising Stars is everything Heroes sought out to be and failed at terribly.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I so loved Rising Stars. However with a lot of things with JMS, I won't hold my breath. However I will keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Hugo Rune]

This, along with Midnight Special, are my preferred JMS comic series, so this could be interesting. However, as EMH rightly pointed out, this is what Heroes could and should have been, and I think it is better suited to a long-form story telling - a 12 part Netflix/Amazon limited series, for example. Or at least a trilogy of films.

JMS on the big screen has been somewhat of a frustration thus far too with many of his treatments and scripts getting hacked and slashed. Given this is his property perhaps more of him will get through. But that isn't always a good thing either, with his preponderance of recycling ideas and motifs through his work and his at times, lofty, florid and eyerolling attempts at meaningful dialogue.

Still, interesting and B5 alone will always guarantee my viewership of anything new from JMS. I might have to dust off the old original issues to refresh myself of Poet and Bright's adventures.

Hugo - needs to read Fiona Avery's side-stories in the RS world. Tricky to find, mind...

 

[Snaploud]

This, along with Midnight Special, are my preferred JMS comic series,

I believe you're referring to Midnight Nation. If so, I agree completely.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

This, along with Midnight Special, are my preferred JMS comic series, so this could be interesting. However, as EMH rightly pointed out, this is what Heroes could and should have been, and I think it is better suited to a long-form story telling - a 12 part Netflix/Amazon limited series, for example. Or at least a trilogy of films.

Yeah, I think a limited-run TV series would work better, too. I doubt it'll happen but maybe MGM will do a joint production with Netflix or Amazon. I'm wary of a proposed trilogy from the onset without a large devoted fan base. Worked for Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter (and, sigh, Twlight), but not so much for Chronicles of Narnia, and His Dark Materials was a disaster (scripting was a disaster, but the visuals and casting were spot on at least). I don't see that working for Rising Stars which is a niche market, even in the comic world.

I might have to dust off the old original issues to refresh myself of Poet and Bright's adventures.

I should do the same. Both Rising Stars and Midnight Nation.

Hugo - needs to read Fiona Avery's side-stories in the RS world. Tricky to find, mind...

I don't think I ever got around to trying to track those down. I didn't really have the money at the time they were published, so I only went with the easy-to-get trades.

 

[Skywalker]

I'm looking forward to this. I really enjoyed the comic. I do think it might work better as a TV show than a movie, but if JMS is adapting it himself I'm sure it'll work out well enough.

 

[Jan]

An additional post from JMS last night:

Fans of J. Michael Straczynski[/URL]] Thanks to all for the good words. Plan is, if this first one does well, to make it a trilogy of films then spin out some of the main characters into their own films, giving MGM an extended comics universe of its own.

Jan

 

[Hugo Rune]

I believe you're referring to Midnight Nation. If so, I agree completely.

Ah, yes. Mixed it up with the equally excellent film, Midnight Special, I saw earlier in the year!

Hugo - with age comes.... something or other, I forget the specifics, but you know what I mean

 

[Jan]

JMS posted on his Facebook page:

Fans of J. Michael Straczynski[/URL]]

Big meeting last Thursday with MGM, they approved the outline for a Rising Stars feature film and I'm now cleared to begin writing the script.

ETA: also, in view of the Midnight Nation comments above, JMS announced that he's working with Gale Anne Hurd and Universal to develop it for TV.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Good to know it's moving forward and I'm happy to hear that Midnight Nation is also being developed. Too bad Rising Stars isn't getting the TV treatment, too.

 

[Jan]

Good to know it's moving forward and I'm happy to hear that Midnight Nation is also being developed. Too bad Rising Stars isn't getting the TV treatment, too.

From what JMS said, if the first one does well, it could become a trilogy or more.