Crossed: Adaptation of The Boys’ Creator’s Even Darker Comic Finds a Director

The upcoming film adaptation of Garth Ennis’ comic series Crossed has secured a director. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Sadness helmsman Rob Jabbaz will direct Crossed. The plan is for production to begin at some point in March. THR notes that the movie, written by Ennis, is “expected to be in the $2 million to $3 million budget range. Jabbaz spoke about his excitement for the project, saying, “It has been a real delight working with Garth Ennis and Six Studios developing Crossed for the big screen.” He explained that he intends to make “a faithful adaptation of the original series, along with a few new surprises.”

While a plot synopsis isn’t available at this time, Jabbaz’s film is said to be “inspired by the original 10 issues Ennis published from 2008-10.” Crossed takes place in a world ravaged by a pandemic; the sick people have a rash in the shape of a cross on their face and act on their most despicable thoughts. What makes the title stand out from similar stories is that those afflicted by the illness maintain their basic intelligence, making them an even more dangerous threat to others.

The Sadness, a Taiwanese horror film released in 2021, earned much acclaim. It even earned a couple awards, taking home Best Picture and Best Director at the 2021 Fantastic Fest’s horror competition. It also won the New Flesh Award for Best First Feature at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival. The film’s premise, which follows a romantic couple trying to reunite with each other during a pandemic, has drawn significant comparisons to Crossed.

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A Crossed movie was first announced back in August 2024. Ennis, of course, is the co-creator of The Boys, on which the popular and acclaimed TV series is based. As Ennis’ works receive on-screen adaptations, he’s continuing to keep busy in the comics realm. Last year, he co-founded Ninth Circle, a publisher focused on horror titles.

Given the similarities between The Sadness and Crossed, Jabbaz seems like the ideal fit for this material. The Sadness was renowned for its ability to blend shocking violence with an engaging story, a combination that sounds perfect for Crossed. Unleashing the unspeakable terrors of those with the disease will allow the film to serve up plenty of genre thrills that audiences expect. However, with the pandemic setting, there’s also an opportunity to tap into that angle a bit and draw parallels to our world and the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps that’s what Jabbaz is alluding to when he teases “new surprises,” providing a fresh spin on Ennis’ original text.

With production set to start in the near future, there should be more developments on Crossed soon, including casting announcements. Given the micro budget, it stands reason to believe the ensemble will primarily consist of relative unknowns, though perhaps Six Studios will find a way to convince a more famous face to come aboard to attract more casual audiences. The Boys has achieved a great deal of success throughout its run, so hopefully Crossed can be another fruitful Ennis adaptation — regardless of who stars in it.