Skybound Entertainment and Universal Pictures are teaming up to bring Joshua Williamson and Andrei Bressan’s hit fantasy comic Birthright to the big screen.
Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the writers of Despicable Me, are attached to pen the film’s script.
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Birthright follows the story of the Rhodes family. The family suffers a tragedy when young Mikey Rhodes goes missing in the woods on his birthday. One year later, Mikey returns as a full-grown man having grown up in a fantasy realm where time moves at an accelerated pace.
“Birthright has been a part of Skybound’s top-tier comic roster for almost three years now and we’re thrilled to expand upon its large, sweeping story,” said Bryan Furst, Skybound’s co-president of film and television, in a press release. “We’re so inspired by Cinco and Ken’s passion for Josh and Andrei’s brilliant comic, and couldn’t imagine better voices to bring heart and humor to this unique family adventure.”
Williamson added, “Birthright is a giant fantasy epic but at its core it’s a story about family, and I’m really excited that a creative team who values those same storytelling elements will be adapting Birthright. Andrei and I have put so much of ourselves into developing the Birthright comic and we know that Cinco, Ken and the entire Skybound team will do the same as they adapt it for the big screen. I’ve been a big fan of Universal ever since I was a kid, and I’ll lose it when I see the Universal logo in front of the Birthright movie!”
Birthright is the third feature to enter development as part of Skybound Entertainment‘s first look deal with Universal. Previously announced projects include Robert Kirkman’s superhero family saga Invincible and the mythological adventure story Kill the Minotaur. Skybound’s Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Bryan Furst, and Sean Furst are attached to produce, as is Jeb Brody (The Mummy, Fifty Shades of Grey).
The Birthright comic book series is still ongoing at Skybound/Image Comics. Birthright #29 hit comic book stores on January 3rd. Birthright #30 is solicited for February 21st. The story so far has been collected into six trade paperback volumes available at comic shops and in bookstores.
