The Clown Prince of Crime
Super Freak
The beginning of the Valiant cinematic universe.
Valiant, an independent comic book publisher with a three year old comic book universe, has plans for its own superhero cinematic universe, which it revealed in the spring. It has in place a five-movie deal with Sony Pictures that involves adaptations of two of its comic book series—”Bloodshot” and “Harbinger”—and which will culminate in a crossover movie. Moreover, thanks to a nine-figure financing deal with DMG Entertainment, a Beijing-based company, Valiant is also developing movies for two of its other series. They also have deals with other studios that have yet to be announced.
Valiant boasts one of the largest independently owned superhero universes in comics, but it is rather unknown to the general public. How is a comparatively small company with very little household recognition supposed to compete or co-exist with the Big Two?
“The answer to fighting Marvel and DC is to not fight Marvel and DC,” Dinesh Shamdasani, CEO and chief creative officer of Valiant Entertainment, told International Business Times. “We aim to tell stories that, surprisingly, aren’t superhero stories, but that have elements of the superhero genre."
Essentially, Valiant is translating what it does in print to the big screen. In the Valiant Universe, superhero spectacle comes second to character-centric storytelling, and the universe features a higher concentration of anti-heroes and morally ambiguous characters than what's in the mainstream. At first glance, Valiant's comics have all the trappings of your classic superhero stories, but once you start reading, you see that they're more idiosyncratic and offer a twist on the usual superhero formula.
Valiant Entertainment Wants To Break The Marvel, DC Comics Duopoly On Superhero Film Genre
Valiant, an independent comic book publisher with a three year old comic book universe, has plans for its own superhero cinematic universe, which it revealed in the spring. It has in place a five-movie deal with Sony Pictures that involves adaptations of two of its comic book series—”Bloodshot” and “Harbinger”—and which will culminate in a crossover movie. Moreover, thanks to a nine-figure financing deal with DMG Entertainment, a Beijing-based company, Valiant is also developing movies for two of its other series. They also have deals with other studios that have yet to be announced.
Valiant boasts one of the largest independently owned superhero universes in comics, but it is rather unknown to the general public. How is a comparatively small company with very little household recognition supposed to compete or co-exist with the Big Two?
“The answer to fighting Marvel and DC is to not fight Marvel and DC,” Dinesh Shamdasani, CEO and chief creative officer of Valiant Entertainment, told International Business Times. “We aim to tell stories that, surprisingly, aren’t superhero stories, but that have elements of the superhero genre."
Essentially, Valiant is translating what it does in print to the big screen. In the Valiant Universe, superhero spectacle comes second to character-centric storytelling, and the universe features a higher concentration of anti-heroes and morally ambiguous characters than what's in the mainstream. At first glance, Valiant's comics have all the trappings of your classic superhero stories, but once you start reading, you see that they're more idiosyncratic and offer a twist on the usual superhero formula.
Valiant Entertainment Wants To Break The Marvel, DC Comics Duopoly On Superhero Film Genre
“Bloodshot” is about a soldier who was brought back from the dead by a private security contractor and infused with nano-computers that have equipped him with enhanced strength, speed and endurance. Unlike, Captain America, he was not created as force for good; he's a killing machine created to hunt people with powers.
Bloodshot is more concerned with atoning for his crimes and taking down the organization that created him than he is with saving the world. The explosion and bullet hole filled "Bloodshot," reads less like your standard superhero comic and more like an action movie—and that's the point. This book is more inspired by and aims to be more like "Die Hard" than it is by"Iron Man" or "Captain America."
Shamdasani says that the "Bloodshot" feature film adaptation, which will be directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski ("John Wick") and will hit theatres in 2017, will be heavily influenced by movies like "Robocop," the Jason Bourne franchise, and "Terminator."