A big screen adaption of the graphic novel, Kill Them All, is being developed by Paramount Pictures. Written by Kyle Starks, Kill Them All is described as a “love letter to ‘90s action movies.” This recent announcement comes just shortly after reports that Paramount would be shelving David Fincher’s World War Z 2 indefinitely.
Paramount has a busy year on tap with 11 movies set for release from now until the end of the year, including the remake of Pet Sematary, the Elton John fantasy biopic Rocketman, and a big screen Dora the Explorer adaptation. Paramount is also releasing the relaunch of the Terminator franchise, which is going under the working title Terminator: Dark Fate, according to James Cameron. Paramount is looking to offset some of their Transformers and Star Trek films with a roster of different genres in 2019. From horror and biopics to family movies and action films. So where does Kill Them All fit into all this?
Variety broke the news of the big screen adaptation with James Coyne being hired to bring the film to life. Coyne recently sold an action sci-fi pitch to Paramount titled Cascade and will now follow that up with this Kill Them All film. Coyne previously wrote 2013’s action-adventure fantasy Vikingdom, and the Dolph Lundgren action drama Puncture Wounds. He also previously worked on Treasure Island and Sherlock Holmes 3 for Warner Bros. As for the producing team behind the film, Josh Appelbaum and Andre Memec, who are some of the figures behind Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, are serving as producers. The duo is also producing Without Remorse, the adaptation of Tom Clancy’s novel starring Michael B. Jordan and set for release on September 18, 2020.
The Eisner-nominated Starks is the creator behind Sexcastle. Kill Them All initially started as a Kickstarter project back in 2017. After successfully reaching its goal - the project brought in over 600 backers and around $23,000 to bring the project to life - Oni Press ended up picking up publishing and distribution rights. Published in 2015, Kill Them All tells of a betrayed murderess on a revenge streak and a hard-drinking former cop who team up to take down a crime lord. However, said crime lord just happens to be atop a 15-story Miami high-rise. The duo must go floor by floor cutting through assassins, murderers, Luchador gang bosses, ex-boyfriends, and office workers. Starks is also the current writer and occasional artist for Oni Press’ Rick and Morty.
Though Starks is best known for his comedic overtones, Kill Them All retains a defiantly violent edge to it. However, his irreverent style lends itself to both the world of comics and action films and given Paramount is looking to turn his graphic novel into a big screen action picture, it’s safe to say they will want to play to both the humor and action of the source material. If it happens to go too gritty or outright violent, Paramount could lose general audiences. Striking that tone between a comedy and retro-action film is what Coyne and company will want to aim for. Coming from someone who worked on both Sherlock Holmes 3 and a Treasure Island adaptation, that shouldn’t be too hard.
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There is no word on when Kill Them All will be hitting the big screen, only that it is currently in development.
Source: Variety
