I can’t decide if it’s a good thing that more and more often studios are looking at graphic novels and (non-traditional) comics for film material. On one hand, there is a lot of great material to be found in them, and the adaptations draw attention to the source when said source might be ignored by the masses.

On the other hand, they leave little to the imagination (because of, you know, the pictures), sometimes resulting in adaptations that have little in the way of an original vision. Then again, it can be great to see those images in motion.

Eh, that’s not really a debate in which I would like to take part, so I’m going to leave it alone.

Those thoughts were brought up because the first issue of The Megas, Jonathan Mostow’s contribution to the Virgin Comics Director’s Cut line, was released today. And today, Mostow and Virgin Comics announced they plan on making a film out of it. The comic was written by Mostow and genre TV writer John Harrison (2000’s Dune miniseries) and is illustrated by ILM’s Peter

For those who aren’t into the whole comic book thing, the goal of the Director’s Cut line is to get filmmakers to take an idea for a film they probably wouldn’t be able to make or would like to make, and put it into comic form. Mostow is the fifth director to take part, following Shekhar Kapur, John Woo, Ed Burns and Guy Ritchie. Ritchie is the only other member of that group to officially announce a film version of his comic, but Burns has said he wants his comic, Dock Walloper, to make the transition as well.

Unlike Ritchie, however, who has set up his picture, The Gamekeeper, at Warner Bros., Mostow doesn’t have a studio partner yet. That’s the next step. Another difference is that Mostow hasn’t said if he will direct or write the film.

I’m going to be lazy here and post the part of the press release that explains the plot of The Megas. Well, it’s not just laziness; this particular press release amuses me because it attempts to insert some personality and be clever.

In this election year, the buzzword is “change”. We all agree that things need to change, but how much change would you be willing to endure? Think about this, what would life be like if America wasn’t a democracy at all? What if our founding fathers were a group of powerful men from a unique race whose only purpose was to ensure the continuity of their own reign? Fast-forward 230 years and we have found ourselves entrenched in a totalitarian society, where inferior commoners are governed by the powerful “Megas”. Is that the kind of change you had in mind?

…

The storyline of The Megas revolves around Detective Jack Madison and his race-against-the-clock investigation to uncover secrets behind the mysterious sex-fueled suicide of a Prince in The Megas royal family. Meanwhile, the King is on his deathbed at The White Palace (yes, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!), and society is bracing for the inevitable chaos that will surely ensue once he dies. As one controversial truth after another is revealed, Detective Madison finds himself entrenched in lies, corruption and. well.. I guess as much as things change, they still stay the same.

Weird press release aside, that’s a story that could make for an interesting feature, but I don’t know if Mostow is the guy to make it work. He’s been good with things brainless stuff like Breakdown and U-571, but he’s untested with weightier properties. His upcoming adaptation of The Surrogates could change that, though.

Oh, I can’t forget to mention the retarded tagline:

The Megas: Beautiful. Powerful. Better.