Todd McFarlane has been teasing an all-newSpawnfilm for years, including potential plot-points. One such plot-point is that the whole thing will be from the point of view of the detectives investigatingSpawn (Sam and Twitch), while Spawn himself is more like the ‘shark fromJaws’, and will be more of a shadowy figure as opposed to the costumed vigilante he is in the comics. But, teases and plot-points or not, fans are no closer to seeinga newSpawnmovie, meaning the possibilities for what that movie will actually turn out to be are limitless.
In other words, when fans finally do get aSpawnmovie, it could be inspired by any number ofSpawncomics - even ones outside of Al Simmons’ personal continuity.Spawnhas become an extensive universefilled with Spawn variants and other characters who are equally interesting as Spawn himself, many of which could carry a feature film. In fact, making a movie that doesn’t necessarily follow the originalSpawn could help forge not just a single film, but an entire cinematic universe, just like the comics have successfully done.
A new movie could potentially follow a wide array of characters, and the tone of the film could range from being an outlandish action-comedy, to an edgy Sci-Fi thriller, to an adventure-filled Western. With those possibilities in mind, here are the comic choices a newSpawnmovie should draw from!
5The New Spawn Movie Could Really Make a Name for Itself by Killing the Competition (Literally)
Spawn Kills Everyone!by Todd McFarlane and JJ Kirby
If this newSpawnmovie were to deviate from the classic Al Simmons story (indeed, he already got a movie in 1997), then it’s possible it could follow an entirely different Spawn. So, why not Chibi Spawn? The name “Chibi Spawn” is in reference to the style in which the version of Spawn in the comicSpawn Kills Everyone!is drawn, but the art style isn’t nearly as important as the story that this comic tells.
InSpawn Kills Everyone!, Spawn is at a comic book convention where he meets a number of other pop-culture characters, including the Hulk, Deadpool, and even the characters inStar Wars. Of course, none of these characters were the official versions of themselves, but there was no mistaking who each character was - especially when Spawn was killing them. Basically, the entire comic was an excuse to show Spawn killing other iconic comic book characters in increasingly gory fashion, so imagine how epic it would be to see this on the big screen.
Not only would the spectacle alone be worth watching, but the meta-message it would send would be legendary. A newSpawnmovie has been in the works for years, all while other comic book properties have rolled out their own reboots and cinematic universes. So, when thisSpawnmovie finally comes out, how awesome would it be to watch Spawn clear the board of every hero and villain fans have been watching for the past decade? It would certainly allow Spawn to make a name for himself in the landscape of comic book movies by quite literally killing the competition.
4The New Spawn Movie Could Subvert Expectations with a Cyberpunk Thriller
Rat Cityby Erica Schultz and Zé Carlos
Watching Spawn wipe out every beloved comic book character that’s been brought to the big screen in the last decade would definitely be entertaining, with a meta-message that fans wouldn’t soon forget, but it might be difficult to craft an entire feature-length narrative around that (though certainly not impossible). What wouldn’t be difficult to make a movie out of, however, would be one of the most recent additions toSpawnlore:Rat City.
Rat Citythrows readers about a hundred years into the future, where the entire world has gone totally cyberpunk. Neon lights flood the streets, cyborg hit-squads litter the criminal underworld, and high-tech robotics has utterly engulfed human society. Then, one day, the biomechanical enhancements of one Peter Cairn are flooded with necroplasm, forever transforming him into the cybernetic Spawn of the future. From there, Peter Cairn’s Spawn traverses the landscape ofRat Citywith his high-tech variation of Spawn’s classic suit, taking down his enemies as brutally as the original.
It would be absolutely jaw-dropping to hear that a Spawn movie was finally being developed, only to learn that it’s going to be an adaptation ofRat City- in the best possible way. The cyberpunk style when brought to the big screen - in both animation and live-action - is breathtaking when done correctly. ThinkAkiraorBlade Runner 2049… but with Spawn! And, as previously mentioned, this could be just the start of an entire established universe, but in a way that completely subverts the expectations ofSpawnfans.
3The New Spawn Movie Could Actually Be a Prequel to the Original Starring the Violator
Violator: Originby Marc Andreyko and Piotr Kowalski
With the news that a newSpawnmovie is in development, not one person has stopped to consider the original 1997Spawnfilm. Fans are currently in an age where Wesley Snipes' Blade is appearing in the latest Marvel movie, and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man is swinging back into action alongside Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland. Including past films into new ones has become something of a comic book movie staple, andSpawnhas the chance to do the exact same thing by making its new movie a prequel to the original starring the Violator.
Violator: Origindoes as advertised, telling the origin story of the repugnantSpawnvillain who has been by Al Simmons' side (and certainly a thorn in it) since the very beginning. As it turns out, the Violator wasn’t always a demon, but was originally an angel named Baziel. When Lucifer was radicalizing angels against heaven at the dawn of human existence, Baziel believed that God would soon favor humans over the angels, and decided to side with Lucifer, which led to only damnation. When Baziel was cast down to perdition, he emerged in a twisted new form - as the Violator.
The Violator’s story has all the makings of an outstanding film. Not only is it pulled straight from the bible (ie, the best-selling book of all time), but it’s also epic on a cosmic scale, and profoundly tragic. AsSpawnfans know, the Violator (played by actor John Leguizamo) was the main antagonist of the 1997 film, and if John Leguizamo reprized his role in this potential film, it could be an official prequel to the originalSpawnmovie - and a truly breathtaking one, at that.
2The New Spawn Movie Could Even Be a Western with Gunslinger Spawn
Gunslinger Spawnby Todd McFarlane, Ales Kot, Brett Booth, Thomas Nachlik, Philip Tan, and Kevin Keane
The coolest thing a newSpawnfilm franchise could do is commit every movie to a different genre. The aforementionedSpawn Kills Everyone!andRat Citycover the action-comedy and Sci-Fi genres respectively, with the proposedViolatormovie being a grand (even semi-biblical) drama. But, with the very first movie in this potential franchise,Spawnhas the chance to dive head-first into one of the most popular genres in the history of film: Western.
Gunslinger Spawn originated as a one-off Spawn variant introduced alongside countless other variations of the classic hell-powered hero, but he eventually got his very own standalone comic series. Gunslinger Spawn was originally a preacher in the old west named Jeremy Winston, who was framed for murdering his whole family. As he was being put to death, Winston was approached by the demon Mammon, offering him the chance to enact vengeance upon his family’s actual killers. Winston accepted, and from that day forth, he was Gunslinger Spawn.
An undead cowboy seeking vengeance for the murder of his family with the addition of demonic superpowers and a badass aesthetic? It’s like if Clint Eastwood’sPale Ridermet, well,Spawn- more than that, it sounds like the perfect Western film. Beginning aSpawnfilm franchise withGunslinger Spawnwould (like withRat City) be an awesome way to subvert fans' expectations, and stand out from the plethora of superhero films being released every year. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Western?
1Spawn’s First Major Saga is the Best Choice for a New Spawn Movie
Spawn#1-100 by Todd McFarlane
While the idea of subverting fans' expectations with a Sci-Fi thriller or Western with a newSpawnfilm would be absolutely awesome to see, it’s time to face facts: the newSpawnmovie should be about Spawn - the proper Spawn. Al Simmons simplyisSpawn, and ignoring him for the sake of style or to send a meta-message to other comic book film franchises would ultimately be a mistake. Sure, the likes ofRat CityandGunslinger Spawnshould definitely be adapted to film, but a new, standaloneSpawnmovie must be about Al Simmons.
Not only should the newSpawnmovie follow the original, but it should specifically stick to the first major saga in theSpawnmythos - a story that takes place within the first 100 issues of the series.Spawnhas nearly 400 issues in the main series alone, and that’s not counting the likes ofKing Spawnor otherSpawntitles featuring Al Simmons. Adapting all those stories into a single film - or even a classic trilogy - would be impossible. But, if the new movie stuck to just the first 100 issues, then fans would be in for a real treat.
The first 100 issues tell the story of Spawn coming into his own, killing bad guys and encountering allies with every passing issue, until he finally defeats the first ‘big bad’ of the series: Malebolgia. It’s an epic saga with all the makings of a great feature film, but more than that, adapting these specific comics would be the best way to capture the essence of Al Simmons’Spawn, and would perfectly set the stage for a potential franchise.
Spawn
Spawnis a dark superhero franchise created by Todd McFarlane. It began as a comic book series in 1992 and follows Al Simmons, a former black ops agent who makes a deal with the devil to return to Earth, only to become a Hellspawn. The franchise includes animated series, a 1997 live-action film, and video games, blending supernatural elements with gritty action. A new live-action movie reboot is currently in development.
