Jar Of Fools
The Comic: Magician Ernie Weiss is in a funk after the death of his brother Howard. His depression is such that he pushes away his girlfriend and exists in tortured, lonely despair. But with the help of fellow magician Al Flosso, can he find the light at the end of the tunnel?
Big-Screen Plot: Serious ponderings as Ernie Weiss finds himself disillusioned by life and love in a meandering, heartfelt portrait of a man attempting to reassemble his life despite crushing depression.
Dream Cast: Daniel Day Lewis
Directed By: Gus Van Sant
The Authority
The Comic: Red ’s Warren Ellis tackles superheroes, as a band of the uber-powered spandex-wearers attempt to re-create the world without evil – and end up taking control of the planet in their quest.
Big-Screen Plot: Already set out much like an action film, an adap of the comic need just take the story’s initial premise and run with it, as the superheroes unite for the first time in the face of an evil, barmy-as-heck madman, who unleashes an army of superpowered soldiers.
Dream Cast: Matt Damon, Bruce Willis, Rachel Weisz, Jon Hamm, Samuel L. Jackson
Directed By: Quentin Tarantino
Miracleman
The Comic: Created in the 1950s but revived by Alan Moore in the ‘80s, Miracleman is a superman who takes over journalist Mike Moran’s whenever he says “Kimota” (uh, "atomic" backwards with a kick). Breathtakingly adult in tone, Moore's Miracleman is unflinching in its exploration of the superhero, with thousands of London residents massacred by our hero’s former sidekick and violence that near sets the pages alight.
Big-Screen Plot: Let’s go a little post-modern, in keeping with Moore’s version. Moran keeps having nightmares about flying and killing bad guys that seem to resemble an old comic called Miracleman . Then, when he gets caught up in a terrorist raid, Moran remembers the word “Kimota” and transforms into the very same comic hero. Themes of identity and self-control all get put through the wringer.
Dream Cast: Christian Bale
Directed By: Robert Rodriguez
The Demon
The Comic: You want weird? You got it. The lead character here is the demonic Etrigan, summoned by Merlin and chained inside the body of Jason Blood, an ally of the evil sorceress Morgaine le Fey. Fast forward a few centuries, and Blood is still battling with his dual identity, forever up against the demon in his chest.
Big-Screen Plot: Think a demonic version of Hulk , with added sweeping period settings (hullo, Camelot) and a tortured hero literally battling the demons within.
Dream Cast: Mickey Rourke
Directed By: Sam Raimi
Fables
The Comic: A fresh twist on the fairytales of yore, as a secret community known as Fabletown in the centre of New York City houses characters driven out of their fairytale homelands. Here, Old King Cole is the mayor, while Snow White is his deputy. A reformed Big Bad Wolf is the sheriff.
Big-Screen Plot: When Rose Red is found murdered, the Big Bad Wolf (now calling himself Bigby) and Snow White must figure out who the killer is. Tempting to cast this in the same light as Shrek , but Fables demands a harder, darker edge.
Dream Cast: Hugh Jackman (Bigby), Rose McGowan (Snow White)
Directed By: Wes Craven
Powers
The Comic: Cop and superhero stories unite as ex-supe Detective Christian Walker is now working as a homicide cop, investigating cases that involve people with superpowers. While training his latest partner Deena Pilgrim, Walker is handed the case of a murdered superhero – Retro Girl – who he used to date.
Big-Screen Plot: Take the plot of ‘Who Killed Retro Girl?’ and expand to cinematic proportions, with flashbacks to Walker’s previous life as a superhero, not to mention his relationship with Retro Girl.
Dream Cast: Val Kilmer, Sigourney Weaver
Directed By: Michael Mann
Swallow Me Whole
The Comic: Siblings Ruth and Perry both experience strange visions and experiences that confuse them after watching their grandmother die in hospital. Ruth sees tentacles in the air and a dead frog talks to her, while Perry is ordered by a pen to draw. Is the cause hallucinations, magic, or schizophrenia?
Big-Screen Plot: A quirky, mystifying coming-of-ager, we follow Ruth and Perry’s everyday lives as their boring school and home existence is interrupted by strange daydreams. But are they really daydreams?
Dream Cast: Elle Fanning, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Directed By: Sofia Coppola
The Strange Adventures Of H.P. Lovecraft
The Comic: The celebrated author gets the comic treatment, as Lovecraft comes into possession of an ancient book that curses him. From now on, when he sleeps, his nightmares manifest themselves in reality and threaten the world. It’s up to Lovecraft to fight the evil he has created.
Big-Screen Plot: Underdog and struggling author Lovecraft is in love with a woman who will never return that love, and isn’t getting anywhere with his writing. But when he comes in contact with a cursed book, everything changes. Can Lovecraft overcome his nervous disposition to become the hero that the world demands of him? (Note: Ron Howard is currently attempting to get an adap off the ground.)
Dream Cast: Robert Downey Jr.
Directed By: P.T. Anderson
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