From one of the minds behind the popular Judge Dredd franchise, John Wagner’s popular comic, Button Man, is being adapted into a Netflix Original feature-length film, here’s the latest on the project.
It’s been a long wait for fans, but Button Man looks like it will receive its long-deserved live-action adaptation on Netflix and we recently just got some more information. The news of the movie was first learned back in March 2019 but all has gone quiet since then.
Producing the feature will be 6th & Idaho, with Brian Helgeland directing, while Adam Kassan, Matt Reeves, and Rafi Crohn serve as the producers.
What is Button Man: Get Harry Ex?
Button Man is a comic strip featured in the British Comic magazine 2000 AD and was created by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson.
The serialization of Button Man began in 1992, with a total of four volumes currently published:
- The Killing Game (1992)
- The Confession of Harry Exton (1994)
- Killer Killer (2001)
- The Hitman’s Daughter (2007)
What is the plot of Button Man: Get Harry Ex?
The plot of Button Man: Get Harry Ex has been provided by Daniel Richtman:
“The world didn’t seem to need a man like Harry Exton anymore. An ex-soldier and mercenary, Harry was a human-killing machine without a vocation, until an old colleague told him about ‘The Game’. The players, known as ‘Button Men’ are paid to fight to the death in a modern-day gladiatorial contest. Organized by mysterious backers known as ‘Voices’, the killing game offers bountiful financial rewards… if you live. Harry decides to participate, but soon discovers that death offers the only way out!”
The post by Daniel Richtman indicates the movie is early in production with them now casting the lead character of Harry Exton.
Is Button Man: Get Harry Ex a film or series adaptation?
Button Man: Get Harry Ex will be adapted into a film and it’s been a long road to get to this point.
DreamWorks previously owned the rights to the film adaptation, and plans were made for the movie’s release in 2008 but development never happened.
Four years later in May 2012, the news broke that Nicolas Winding Refn was in talks with the DreamWorks to direct the feature, but the project never got off the ground.
The film’s original title was Button Man: The Killing Game, but according to our source, the title has been slightly altered to Button Man: Get Harry Ex.
While there have been many script and screenplay re-writes for the project, as it stands director Brian Helgeland (A Knight’s Tale), will be writing and directing the feature.
Director Brian Helgeland (center) and the late Heath Ledger (right) on the set of A Knight’s Tale (2001) – Copyright. Sony Pictures Releasing
Is a Judge Dredd Netflix Adaptation on the way?
It’s been eight years since the release of Dredd, and fans have been clamoring for more ever since.
Rumors have been circulating for the past few years that a Netflix adaptation was in the works, and Karl Urban would be returning to reprise the role.
Karl Urban has made it clear he’s interested in reprising the role, but sadly, he’s made it clear that he won’t be returning as Dredd anytime soon
Listen, I would love to make it, I’m on the record saying that a bunch of times. I don’t know if that’s gonna happen. I think that the guys that own the rights to Dredd, Rebellion, I think they’re developing something called ‘Mega-City One’ and it would just be great to see more Dredd, whether it’s with me or not, it doesn’t matter. I’m a fan of Dredd and there’s so many great stories there. I’d love to see them. And I have no doubt that, someday, someone will make it. It’s just a matter of time.
The project mentioned by Urban, Mega-City One, is real, but the last we heard that “work is ongoing,” that’s according to Mike Molcher of 2000 AD in an interview with Screen Geek.
Karl Urban as Judge Dredd in Dredd (2012) – Copyright. DNA Films and Lionsgate
Molcher couldn’t reveal much information in the interview at the time, but it sounded like the series was still very much in the early stages of development. A cast hasn’t been confirmed, but Mulcher did state that “conversations” have been had with Urban to reprise the role.
One majorly important note regarding Mega-City One is the story will not be centered around Dredd, and instead will explore the world around him.
Despite the rumors, we’ve yet to hear officially regarding either a Judge Dredd series or the Button Man: Get Harry Ex.
Are you excited for the release of Button Man: Get Harry Ex on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
