Frank Miller Closer to Buck Rogers Movie

The last time we heard about Frank Miller (of “Sin City” and “300″ fame) being attached to a big-screen revival of “Buck Rogers”, it was still just a rumor. One of those, “It may happen, it may not” kind of deal. Well guess what, it looks like it’s really happening. Or at least, all parties (Miller and Odd Lot Entertainment, the people he recently wrapped up “The Spirit” for) are officially trying to make it happen, and all indications seem to point to the whole shebang coming together. The stars, as they say, seem to be aligning to make this one happen.

Explains THR:

Odd Lot, the shingle run by Gigi Pritzker and Deborah Del Prete, is in negotiations to option the rights to “Rogers” from Nu Image/Millennium, which obtained those rights this year from the Dille Trust. Millennium is expected to get a credit on the movie but won’t be involved in day-to-day production.

John Flint Dille, a friend of Miller’s, operates the trust, which may have partly prompted rumors at the time of the Millennium acquisition that the comic auteur-turned-filmmaker might come aboard to direct. But Miller was not attached at the time; he only became involved when Odd Lot entered the picture.

Miller will write and direct his own big-screen take on the comic serial; while the creator has only begun to sketch ideas, it’s expected to be a darker take, with many of Miller’s signature visual elements and themes, such as corruption and redemption.

It’s likely to be a priority project for Miller, though he has been mulling a “Sin City” sequel.

Frank Miller is a brilliant comic book writer. I don’t know how he’ll do with movies, though. While he was involved in writing and directing the first “Sin City”, it wasn’t really his movie. “The Spirit” will be Miller’s first real movie, and it remains to be seen if audiences will accept him. I think they will. The guy is just too talented, and his vision is just too unique. Then again, you know Hollywood and moviegoers — anything that’s TOO unique or “out there”, and they tend to revolt. Hence, all the ridiculous “Saw” regurgitations and endless formulaic romantic comedies that you can predict scene by scene even before entering theaters.

But a Buck Rogers by Frank Miller? Man, that would be so interesting to see, especially a Frank Miller Wilma Deering. Very, very interesting…