Writer/director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Iron Man 3) is currently making the press rounds in anticipation for the release of his latest detective actioner, The Nice Guys. The Ryan Gosling/Russell Crowe two-hander arrives in theaters in May, right smack dab in the middle of superhero season, but I have a feeling audiences are still going to flock to it. Regardless, with Black on the press circuit, details are finally coming to light on his future projects and got the scoop on one of his next: Doc Savage.
Speaking to the outlet, Black revealed that not only is he hoping to shoot Doc Savage for Sony sometime in 2017, but he also has a star in mind: Dwayne Johnson!
You also have an adaptation of the Doc Savage pulp novels waiting in the wings…
Doc Savage is sort of in the ether now. We’re hoping to make it sometime next year. I would very much like to do Doc with a fellow named Dwayne Johnson if we can make that work. I made a decision that Dwayne is the guy. It’s on the back burner while he’s busy.
Black’s next project on deck is The Predator for Fox, a revival of their popular sci-fi/action franchise. In the above interview, which I suggest you read, Black goes on to quietly confirm that original Predator star Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently in talks to return. The Predator is slated to arrive in theaters in March 2018, which means that even if Black does get his way and can shoot Doc Savage after work is complete on Predator, it likely won’t hit theaters until at least 2019. Some might be frowning at the notion of this, but given how jam-packed Johnson’s own schedule is, 2019 is probably the best we can hope for anyway. The actor already has his next 4 projects locked in, but lucky for us, he works fast and often.
Nothing is spoken about Black’s other two proposed projects. Those being the horror/action film Shadow Company (which has been kicking around since the late ’80s) and an adaptation of the Remo Williams novel series, The Destroyer. The latter is set up at Sony, so I can only imagine it won’t be a priority until after Doc Savage finally gets off the ground.
Other past Black projects are brought up, of course, from the now-defunct Mel Gibson-starring The Cold Warrior to an unmade Lethal Weapon 5. Black also makes it clear that he has no involvement with the “Lethal Weapon” TV series that is on the way and speaks on the possibility of working with Marvel again in the future. Seriously, check out the full interview when you have a chance. It’s worth your time.
