Summary
The Spawn movie reboot script was close to being finished before the WGA strike halted production, causing significant delays.
Despite facing setbacks, Todd McFarlane has been tirelessly advocating for a follow-up to the original Spawn film for the past 25 years, showcasing his unwavering commitment to the project. Excitingly, with esteemed production company Blumhouse coming on board and renowned actor Jamie Foxx securing the lead role, the long-awaited Spawn movie is now making significant strides forward. However, there are still challenges to surmount before production can commence.
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane has revealed that the movie reboot script was nearly complete before the WGA strike halted production. In 1997, the first movie adaptation of McFarlane's iconic comic book, which follows the story of a deceased Marine resurrected as the leader of Hell's army, was released. Since 1998, McFarlane has been tirelessly working on a sequel to the successful film. Now, with Blumhouse and Jamie Foxx on-board, Spawn is finally set to return to the big screen in 2025.
Unfortunately, the highly anticipated Spawn reboot has faced another setback due to the WGA strike that hit Hollywood in May, resulting in significant production delays. The shutdown was particularly distressing for McFarlane and his team as they were just 30 pages away from completing the reboot script before work had to halt. In an interview with ComicBook.com, McFarlane shared his thoughts on the situation:
"We were in the midst of writing the script when the writers strike occurred, abruptly halting our progress. However, the writers had made substantial progress, so I believe they have put considerable thought into the remaining 30 pages that need to be finished. Once the strike is resolved, I assume they will quickly wrap up the script. We will then proceed with some rewrites, approach potential buyers in Hollywood, and possibly engage in a bidding war. Following that, we will make the official announcement stating that we have secured funding, a studio, and a production date. It will be time to get the project underway."
McFarlane Has Fought For 25 Years To Make A Spawn Follow-Up
Arriving before the current era of blockbuster superhero films, Spawn stood out in 1997 as a violent comic book movie with an African-American lead actor, despite not being rated R. Although it earned a respectable $87 million on a $40 million budget, it fell short of being a major success that would guarantee a sequel.
Despite the challenges in getting another Spawn film greenlit, the comic creator McFarlane has remained devoted to the project. In 2007, he announced that he was personally working on a sequel and would go as far as financing it himself if necessary. Unfortunately, this initiative did not materialize, but McFarlane continued to work on the script, stating in 2009 that he was in the process of crafting a new one. Finally, in 2016, he announced its completion. However, later on, new writers were hired to rewrite McFarlane's work.
Blumhouse's involvement and Foxx's commitment to the lead role he started pursuing in 2013 bring Spawn closer than ever to a comeback on the screen. However, there are still obstacles, as McFarlane pointed out in his recent comments. The script is nearing completion, which gives hope that once the strike ends, the writing process will be quickly finished, enabling faster progress towards the ultimate payoff for McFarlane's perseverance.
