Comic creator Rob Leifeld (Image Comics, Deadpool) has taken to the internet to showcase a script treatment for his bestselling comic title, Youngblood, in celebration of the comics’ 25th year anniversary of the launch of both the aforementioned book and Image Comics. Leifeld notes that this is not an attempt to get excitement among the fans and lead to an accelerated production a la Deadpool as he’s not currently shopping it around to any studios.
It appears the film rights are now back with Liefeld after having been acquired by Reliance in 2009 for an intended live action adaptation which would have seen Brett Ratner at the helm. In a Facebook Post, Leifeld said,
“As we approach the 25th anniversary of the launch of Youngblood and Image Comics I am sharing unknown items and relics from its past. I loaded up my Youngblood screenplay available for download on my website. It’s not being shopped around, it’s for the fans and in all honesty it’s how I would launch the book if I had a do-over. Link to my website in my bio.”
The script can only be downloaded after a subscription to Leifeld’s newsletter is complete.
It remains to be seen, if this will create the same kind of buzz that the Deadpool test footage caused and whether or not this will lead to a live action adaptation of the character in the near future. Liefeld’s other famous character, Deadpool was severely butchered in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine and halted all plans for a spin off until a test footage was leaked to the public to glowing reviews and excitement from fans. This reaction led to a fast tracked production which led to the critical and commercial success that was Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool earlier this year, with a sequel currently in active development with plans to introduce Cable into the mix.
Youngblood is a creator-owned superhero title from Rob Liefeld which debuted in 1992 at Image Comics. At the time of its release, Youngblood #1 was the highest-selling independent comic book of all time, despite scathing reviews from critics. The series followed a government-sanctoned superhero team and how the general populace would truly react to the existence of superheroes.
