Whoever said the comic book movie bubble was about to burst got their assessment completely wrong. Incredibly, there are far more than 50 comic book adaptations currently in various stages of planning and development, and it seems likely that more will be announced in the next couple of years, with Marvel, Sony, Fox and DC all looking at expanded universes of some sort. It's a great time to be alive for comic book movie fans, but that many movies in a matter of four or five years is a daunting prospect, and planning and precedence are both key steps in the process of arranging our excitement levels. Luckily, there's a spectrum you can all adhere to based on the promise of each individual movie. In the interest of not stretching too thin on certain franchises, this run-down lumps optimistically optioned sequels in with as unyet released films. Obviously, some films are simply too much in the grey area to be included: there is a rumour the female-centric spin-off of The Amazing Spider-Man starring Black Cat might not be dead, but it seems only to exist because of a lack of firm confirmation. And of course there's the question of a new Blade, which Wesley Snipes seems to think is happening without any word of confirmation. And pretty much all of Mark Millar's comics are in some way under consideration for adaptation. So let's call them all hopeful possibilities at this stage and leave them aside for now. But which films make it...?
50. Tag
Status: Optioned Due: TBC Key Players: Annabelle's John Leonett will direct under Fox's control. Whats It About: Based on the beautifully artistic Boom! comics miniseries by 30 Days Of Night: Bloodsucker Tales artist Kody Chamberlain, Tag tells the tale of an infected man who randomly starts to decompose when he's cursed by a stranger. The conceit is that he has to either pass the curse on (or "tag" someone else), or cure himself before the infection kills him. Why We Should Care: That certain other zombie comic book adaptation is pretty popular, and the idea - which will have a female lead for the film apparently - is very intriguing.
49. 100 Bullets
Status: Optioned Due: Who knows. Not yet, anyway. Key Players: Tom Hardy is hotly linked to the lead role, but there's nothing much more concrete yet. Whats It About: Mark Millar's story of revenge sees Agent Graves acting as the agent of vengeance, tooling up "clients" with guns and untraceable bullets to take out those who wronged them. The comics see a much broader story play out involving awakening an ancient secret organisation and taking down another ancient secret organisation, which could offer scope for sequels. Why We Should Care: Like Nemesis, Mark Millar's works are ripe for adaptation (which is why so many are apparently in some form of development or discussion), and the story here is a great one that lends itself well to the screen, particularly with Hardy involved.