Last October,we brought word that Shane Black had been hired by producing duo Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to write a script based on classic adventurer character Doc Savage. Sony obviously liked what he and co-writers Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry came up with, as the studio has hired him to direct the eventual movie.
Raised from birth by scientists to be the perfect hero, Savage boasted a staggering number of skills, including scientist, inventor, physician and explorer. He was among the most popular characters in 1930s and 40s pulps, with his stories chronicled in nearly 200 novels and across radio, film and TV. Author Lester Dent was his most prolific writer, and it’s his books that Black and his team have been working from, keeping Savage firmly back in the past.
Powerhouse producer Neal Moritz (who seems to develop half the projects the studio eventually greenlights) has come aboard to shepherd the development, fresh from working on another classic character, The Green Hornet.
"Doc Savage is an icon, a character with limitless possibilities," says Columbia co-president Matt Tolmach. "We have had a great experience working with Neal, and we think he and Shane make the ideal team to bring Doc Savage back to the big screen."
Now, of course, they’ll need the perfect actor to play the role. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the anointed Doc years ago. Now we’re just waiting for the announcement that Taylor Lautner has “expressed interest” in the part. Doubt he’s who Black has in mind, though…