Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is tackling another live-action comic book adaptation in the form of The Incal, a movie inspired by the graphic novels created by filmmaker/writer Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) and French artist Mœbius in the 1980s.
HUMANOIDS, the publishing house behind The Incal comic books, announced that Waititi is directing the film based on a script he's co-writing with his frequent collaborator Jemaine Clement (What We Do in the Shadows) and Peter Warren. As part of the announcement, the company released a video that features footage from director Frank Pavich's acclaimed 2013 documentary Jodorowsky's Dune -- in which Jodorowsky discusses how The Incal drew from ideas and artwork from his abandoned Dune movie adaptation in the 1970s -- as well as clips of Waititi talking about his passion for bringing The Incal to the big screen.
The Incal is described as "an epic space opera about shabby P.I. John Difool, who happens upon a mystical artifact known as the Incal -- an object of great power coveted by many factions across the galaxy. As Difool learns of the Incal’s powers and purpose, he -- along with a ragtag crew of unlikely cohorts -- reluctantly embarks on what begins as an improbable mission to save the universe, and slowly becomes a spiritual journey examining the duality and meaning of existence."
"The films and graphic novels of Alejandro Jodorowsky have influenced me and so many others for so long. I was stunned to be given the opportunity to bring his iconic characters to life and I am grateful to Alejandro, [HUMANOIDS CEO] Fabrice [Giger] and everyone at HUMANOIDS for trusting me to do so,” said Waititi.
“When HUMANOIDS’ CEO Fabrice Giger introduced me to Taika Waititi’s work, it became obvious to me that he was the one. I fully trust Taika’s creativity to give The Incal a stunning take, intimate and at the same time of cosmic proportions,” said Jodorowsky.
The Incal joins several other sci-fi/fantasy projects on Waititi's growing to-do list as a director, including a live-action film based on the Akira manga and 1988 anime movie, as well as a live-action Flash Gordon film reboot that was originally developed for animation and an untitled Star Wars movie. But first, Waititi will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Love & Thunder, which is currently in post-production and scheduled to open in theaters on July 8, 2022.
Source: HUMANOIDS