Hasbro and Working Title have announced plans to develop a feature film based on Action Man, the British toy line that debuted in 1966. The project has brought together several entertainment professionals with previous experience in major franchise work.
Simon Hatt and Anthony Sellitti are writing the screenplay. Hatt spent approximately a decade at Marvel Studios, where he collaborated with director James Gunn and eventually became executive producer on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Sellitti is known for his writing contributions to the Emmy-nominated animated series X-Men ’97. Jeremy Latcham is attached as producer; he previously served as executive producer on early Avengers films for Marvel and has more recent experience with Hasbro through his involvement with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Action Man was originally created by toy manufacturer Palitoy and released in 1966, arriving about two years after the U.S. debut of G.I. Joe. While initially similar in appearance to G.I. Joe, the line eventually developed its own distinctive British identity. The brand underwent various transformations over the decades, including a reimagining as a James Bond-style character in the 1990s and a revival during the 2010s.
According to reports, Hatt and Sellitti, both British, grew up with the action figures and pursued the project with considerable dedication. They commissioned a stunt crew to produce fight pre-visualization footage that helped demonstrate the film’s blend of action and comedy elements to Hasbro and Working Title executives. The filmmakers’ creative approach is described as deeply British while maintaining respect for action cinema traditions.
Working Title, a U.K.-based production company, was selected for the project partly due to its track record with British-focused films and established franchises, including titles such as Love Actually, the Bridget Jones’s Diary series, and various Edgar Wright productions.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI