Umbrella Academy Star Wants a Transmetropolitan Adaptation (Exclusive)

Having played Fei Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy and also having appeared in The CW’s The Flash, actor Britne Oldford already has a number of comic book roles to her name, but one series she’d still love to see brought to life in some capacity would be Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s Transmetropolitan. If an adaptation of that story ever came to life, regardless of whether it’s as a movie or as a TV series, Oldford would gladly take on any role in such a project given her affinity for the original story. In the meantime, fans can see Oldford in Prime Video’s Dead Ringers, which premieres on April 21st.

“So this question is for my nerdy, nerdy heart. I read, years ago, when Vertigo was still Vertigo Comics, the Transmetropolitan series. I don’t know if you’re familiar with it,” Oldford confirmed with ComicBook.com about other comic book projects she’d want to join. “And if that is ever made into a film or, I would assume a series, I don’t care if it’s a little, like, I get to play an alien, I don’t care, I want to be a part of it. That is what really got me into graphic novels, that series, and it has a very special place in my heart. It’s actually quite topical. I think it always is. So yeah, anyone watching this, Transmetropolitan, check it out. That series is bonkers, and that would be really cool to be a part of.”

DC describes the series, “Working as an investigative reporter for the newspaper The Word, Spider Jerusalem attacks the injustices of his surreal 21st-century surroundings. Spider ventures into the dangerous Angels 8 district, home of the Transients-humans who have decided to become aliens through cosmetic surgery. And don’t miss Spider’s confrontation with the president of the United States…in a men’s room. Plus, when Spider tries to shed light on the atrocities of these institutions, he finds himself fleeing a group of hit men/kidnappers in possession of his ex-wife’s frozen head.”

Given the ambitious and genre-bending nature of the narrative, translating such a story into live-action would be a difficult challenge, but clearly it’s one that Oldford would be interested in. An adaptation of David Cronenberg’s 1988 film, Dead Ringers similarly explores ambitious territory.

A modern take on David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller starring Jeremy Irons, Dead Ringers will feature Rachel Weisz playing the double-lead roles of Elliot and Beverly Mantle, twins who share everything: drugs, lovers, and an unapologetic desire to do whatever it takes –including pushing the boundaries of medical ethics — in an effort to challenge antiquated practices and bring women’s health care to the forefront. 

Rachel Weisz also serves as an executive producer for the limited series, which is created, written, and executive produced by Emmy-nominated writer and playwright Alice Birch (Normal People, Succession, The Wonder). The series’ ensemble cast includes Britne Oldford (The Umbrella Academy, American Horror Story: Asylum) as Genevieve, Poppy Liu (Hacks, Better Call Saul) as Greta, Michael Chernus (Severance, Orange is the New Black) as Tom, Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty, Saint Maud) as Rebecca, and Emily Meade (The Deuce, The Leftovers) as Susan. 

All six episodes of Dead Ringers premiere on Prime Video on April 21st. Stay tuned for possible details on a Transmetropolitan adaptation.

Would you like to see Transmetropolitan get an adaptation? Let us know in the comments!