Mike Fleming reports that
Iron Fist (who is basically Bruce Lee as a superhero but with mystical powers) has won the 500 character Marvel lottery to be the next C-lister to make the transition from comics-to-film.
Rich Wilkes, screenwriter of
xxx (jeez) has been hired to scribe the movie which will now be racing against
Doctor Strange (Conan writers Thomas Donnelly & Joshua Oppenheimer are working on that one) be the first new Marvel hero spotlighted post-
The Avengers.
Roy Thomas and
Gill Kane's creation is the second new character under Disney's reign to hit the development slate after they bought the company for $4 billion last year. It will have a modest budget (certainly no more than $40 million) and will be a fairly low-risk adaptation with third tier action talent attached, as Disney/Marvel test the waters of their new found partnership. Sadly, 36 year old martial arts expert and long-time Iron Fist fan
Ray Park (Darth Maul), who nine years ago was being setup to play the character in a big screen tentpole under Ari Arad - is so far off the radar these days he's unlikely to be considered.