Battlestar Galactica wunderkind Michael Rymer set to helm Witchblade feature

Platinum Studios, in conjunction with Top Cow Productions recently announced that director Michael Rymer, who helped reimagine TV’s Battlestar Galactica, is set to direct and co-produce Witchblade, a feature film based on the best-selling action fantasy thriller comic book from Top Cow which has sold over 100 million units worldwide since its debut in 1995.

Rymer is currently filming the series finale of Battlestar Galactica and recently wrapped production on the 2-hour series pilot for Revolution for NBC Universal and the SciFi Channel. The exact story line and nature of the script is being kept under wraps but will stay true to the Witchblade mythology which centers around an ornate, jewel-encrusted gauntlet that gives superpowers to the wearer, a chosen female bearer of each generation, who possesses it.

“Michael Rymer is one of those creative forces who can blend myth, legend, iconic visuals and dramatic story into edge-of-your-seat action thrillers,” said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Chairman of Platinum Studios. “I believe that Michael’s instincts with this character and world are spot on.”

“Witchblade is an opportunity to break some new ground – to approach a comic book adaptation in a very different way,” said Michael Rymer. “While I am excited by the opportunity, I am intensely protective of the fans’ expectation of this comic-to-film adaptation.”

In addition to Rymer, Gary Hamilton, CEO of Arclight Films, Nigel Odell, head of Arclight’s production operations, Platinum Studios’ Rosenberg and Steve Squillante of Havenwood Media are all set to produce. Top Cow’s Marc Silvestri and President Matt Hawkins would serve as executive producers as would Platinum Studios’ Rich Marincic.

Platinum Studios has various other properties in development at major film studios, including Atlantis Rising at DreamWorks with Kurtzman/Orci (Transformers) set to produce, Cowboys and Aliens also at DreamWorks with Kurtzman/Orci partnering with Universal, and Unique at Disney.

Platinum Studios also recently announced it’s partnering with Gale Anne Hurd to co-develop the upcoming graphic novel thriller, Final Orbit. Top Cow turned the graphic novel series Wanted into a major motion picture that was directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Day Watch) and released on June 27, 2008 by Universal.