Some stories are just better suited for TV. I won’t start the debate of which is better, although I will say that is a more legitimate debate than ever before. So when Deadline reported the news that Doc Savage was now being adapted as a TV series, I did celebrate a little bit.
First, here are all of the details. Original Film will partner with Condé Nast Entertainment to develop the series. This is all part of the three year deal between Original and Sony. Neal H. Moritz will be executive producer with Pavun Shetty and also joined by Oren Katzeff and Jon Koa representing Condé Nast. Moritz has been working on this project for a while now.
Technically this has been trying to get developed since 2013. They even landed Dwayne Johnson to star in the title role in 2016. Pretty much crickets since then, until now. This new does likely mean that Johnson will be off of the project. I can’t imagine that he will have time to fit a TV series into his busy schedule. Let’s wait to speculate on a replacement until this thing finally gets off of the ground.
Dynamite Entertainment has been publishing new Doc Savage stories for years now. They are also home of The Boys, which was also adapted to TV by Original Films. That might give you some hope that they know what they’re doing. Personally, just moving this to TV tells me that they know what they’re doing.
Don’t know much about Doc Savage? Here is a synopsis from an issue of his Dynamite series that sum him up pretty well: “In 1933, readers were first introduced to Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze. Raised from the cradle to be the pinnacle of mental and physical perfection, Doc Savage travels the world using science and sinews to right wrongs, aid the oppressed, and liberate the innocent. With his team of able associates at their headquarters high atop the tallest building in the world, Doc Savage is tireless in his pursuit of knowledge and justice.”
More on this as it develops.
Photo Credit: Dynamite Comics