What a day to announce directors for DC projects, huh? First we got Cathy Yan for Birds of Prey, but this one is a doozy. Steven Spielberg is potentially going to produce and direct an adaptation of Blackhawk with a script written by David Koepp, a frequent collaborator with Spielberg. Here’s a statement that Spielberg released:
“It was wonderful working with the team at Warner Bros. to bring Ready Player One to the screen. They bring a blend of passion and professionalism to everything they do and have a tremendous history in this genre. I am excited to reunite with them on Blackhawk.”
So, yeah, interesting, right? Now, I highly doubt this will have anything to do with the other DC superhero projects that WB have lined up, especially given the rumors about them easing up on the whole “cinematic universe” aspect of it moving forward.
The question is, when is he going to have time for this? He has Indiana Jones 5 and the West Side Story remake coming up, so if this even happens, it won’t be for another couple years. And it’s worth noting that Spielberg is basically on Guillermo del Toro’s level when it comes to announcing projects that never come to fruition. I’m still bummed we’re never getting whatever the hell “Robopocalypse” was. It really wouldn’t surprise me if he either loses interest over time, or simply stays as producer while someone else directs.
But let’s put that aside for now, first of all, who the hell is Blackhawk?
Well, he is the leader of a squad of WWII-era ace-pilots who started off in Quality Comics in 1941 basically as a propaganda tool not unlike the early Captain America comics. They were quite popular, and were then later acquired by DC Comics in mid 50s. They’ve been adapted into a 15 part serial in 1952, they’ve appeared on the animated Justice League show, and had a brief run in the New 52, which didn’t last very long. He – and the team – have a fairly compelling history that’s worth looking into.
As far as this film goes, it’s Spielberg, and I’m always up for whatever he wants to do. If it happens, that’s great, but for now, let’s not hold our breaths in anticipation.