'Astro City' Live-Action TV Series in the Works; Comics Creator Kurt Busiek Makes One Promises to Fans
The superheroes from Astro City officially become the latest characters to make their way from the comic book pages to television.
According to Deadline, FremantleMedia North America has acquired the rights to develop a live-action television series based on anthology comic book series by Kurt Busiek.
First published in 1995, "Astro City" follows the adventures of a litany of superheroes that star in their own story arcs. The comic universe is home to more than 2,000 original characters that are yet to be brought in to the small or big screen until now.
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It was only a matter of time before they make their debut to another medium and it is FremantleMedia North America, who also produces the television series based on Neil Gaiman's "American Gods," that will make that happen.
"Astro City" follows the citizens of the titular metropolis, which sets itself apart from other cities by being the home to not just one superhero, but a lot of them, which also meant the presence of many supervillains as well.
To some denizens, this is a curse, while others see this as a blessing. Because of this, the residents find themselves in the midst of challenges that come with living with those endowed with abilities that could either help them or kill them.
Described as a humanistic saga, "Astro City" sets itself apart from other comic books by striking the right balance between a superhero epic and intimate drama.
Busiek is set to write the pilot episode of the live-action series with Rick Alexander. Both of them will also serve as executive producers along with Gregory Noveck.
"It's a thrill to be working with Rick, Gregory and FremantleMedia on this," Busiek said of the new project in a statement to Deadline.
"Everyone, at every turn, is supportive, helpful and completely focused on capturing the feel of 'Astro City' and bringing it to life as a TV show," he went on to say.
A lot of fans have already expressed their excitement about the project, taking to Twitter to congratulate Busiek, who, in turn, thanked fans while also promising to deliver a show that they will love.
"Thanks, folks, for all the congrats on the ASTRO CITY show; I wish I could thank everyone individually, but I have deadlines to miss. We'll do our best to make it as good as the comics, and I hope everyone likes the results," he wrote.
He also responded to a fan who replied to the message expressing doubts that the project will move to a point that it will be filmed, claiming to set the expectations of the fans of the "Astro City" comic books.
"We all know it's not a guarantee, and any hope that there are results to like is a hope, not a certainty. You don't need to point it out every chance you get," he wrote. "Our motto, every time we reach a new stage, has been, 'And now it begins,'" he added.
Should "Astro City" characters finally find their way to the small screen, only time will tell.
