Paradox Headlines Slate of Films from Arcana Studios
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| Christos Gage's Pardox debuted from Arcana in late 2005 as a three-issue mini-series. |
Comic book writer Christos Gage’s Paradox is the first of a slate of five films to be developed from comic books published by Arcana Studios, film industry publications have said. Gage and his wife, Ruth Fletcher Gage, wrote the screenplay.
The Hollywood Reporter said the Canadian production company Legacy Filmworks and Bron Management has teamed with the comic book publisher. Paradox is the story of a homicide detective on a parallel Earth where magic is real. He investigates a series of murders committed through the use of science instead of magic. Aaron L. Gilbert of Bron Management and Sean P. O’Reilly of Arcana Studios produce, according to Variety. Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Andromeda) will play the lead role and Brenton Spencer (Stargate: Atlantis) is set to direct.
Christos Gage has written a number of high profile projects for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, beginning with the 2004-2005 mini-series Deadshot. Since then he has tackled Union Jack, Avengers: The Initiative, Wildcats, The Man With No Name, Civil War: House of M, House of M: Avengers, World War Hulk: X-Men, Stormwatch: PHD, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, among many others.
“Actually, Ruth and I wrote Paradox as a screenplay first,” Gage told Scoop. “We started it before I even began working in comics. But after my Deadshot mini-series came out from DC, and doors began to open in the industry, we realized the story and the world it took place in were ideally suited for the comics format.”
He said that one of the main differences for a writer working in both media forms is that film and TV use motion while comics use the illusion of motion. “Something an actor can get across in a gesture or raised eyebrow might have to be explicitly said in a comic,” he said. “Conversely, comics have an unlimited budget, so you can fill your book full of elaborate fantasy elements that might not be able to be replicated on the screen, or might have to be modified somewhat.”
Gage and Paradox were profiled in the July 1, 2005 edition of Scoop. He said that from concept to shooting, the project took about five years to come together. “Which, for a movie, is really not very long, believe it or not,” he said. Together the Gages previously wrote Sony's 2001 feature The Breed and have written episodes of Law & Order: SVU and Numb3rs.
Gage said they had several other creator owned efforts in development, but none they could announce at the moment. “But 2009 should see at least two, and possibly as many as four, creator owned projects released,” he said.
