Warner Bros. take control of SPY HUNTER

Universal Pictures wasted a ton of time, money and effort over the past decade on their determined quest to bring the Midway video game "Spy Hunter" to the big screen as a summer action tentpole. Several screenwriting teams and two separate directors John Woo and Paul W.S. Anderson were at one time attached, along with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson contracted to star for some of the six years between 2003 and 2009, until the project was eventually canned. Universal even helped Midway finance a "Grand Theft Auto"style upgrading of the 80's arcade game, bringing a playable character to life for "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run", released in September 2006 with The Rock voicing the lead, based on his likeness. The video game was originally meant to supplement the unrealised movie and was heavily marketed as such, and in hindsight it's easy to come up with the conclusion that if a movie wasn't happening then, it wasn't happening at all. In all likelihood, Universal would still be plugging away at it if it wasn't for Warner Bros. acquiring the rights to struggling Midway Games last year for $35 million, meaning they are now in control of their full library of games, which obviously includes "Spy Hunter".

WB, who have been kinda crazy in what projects they have been funding lately (a FIFTH "Final Destination" movie, a God vs. Demons blockbuster centred on Leonardo Da Vinci, a "Gilligan's Island" adaptation and a "Space Invaders" movie!!), believe they can succeed where their rival failed.

This week they hired Chad St. John to write the screenplay, and attached producers Dan Lin and Roy Lee, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

John is the new Justin Marks at WB, their new darling and favourite. He has no less than two original screenplays in development at the studio, along with a remake of "Outland" and is currently writing a "Sgt. Rock" adaptation for Joel Silver. Universal previously envisioned an adaptation of the very basic 80's arcade game to be suited to a "Mission Impossible" style action blockbuster with The Rock as the new Tom Cruise. Watching the trailer for the video game gives you a good sense of how the film would have turned out;

Chad St. John will be starting with a blank page and none of the creative talent or ideas are likely to have been carried over. New Studio, New Rules, and we await to hear the strategy behind Warner Bros' adaptation as we scratch our heads wondering why this franchise has gotten so much attention over the years when surely there are dozens of more deserving games due an adaptation.

I never knew "Spy Hunter" was even remotely this popular?