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Exclusive: As they open The Fall Guy, a TV series-turned-feature, director David Leitch and his 87North producing partner Kelly McCormick are eyeing a beloved graphic novel for a TV series.

Fifth Season has acquired Button Man, an adaptation of the graphic novel by John Wagner, who co-created Judge Dredd and created A History of Violence, latter of which was turned into a terrific action film by David Cronenberg. The graphic novel was illustrated by Arthur Ranson.

Deals are making, but the plan is for Leitch to direct, and he and McCormick will be executive producers alongside Alex Jackson, Roger Kass, Dan Seligmann, and Wagner and Ranson.

While The Fall Guy plays as comedy, Button Man shapes up closer in tone to John Wick, the first installment of which Leitch co-directed with Chad Stahelski.

Button Man focuses on Harry Exton, a former elite soldier who is brought into a covert life...

What other hero in the DC Universe is more famous or beloved than Batman? For nearly 100 years, the Dark Knight has captivated readers everywhere with stories that feature mystery-solving and high-octane action with some of the greatest supervillains ever created. Bruce Wayne has hundreds of stories under his utility belt and he shows no signs of slowing down.

That said, only a few moments in the Caped Crusader’s vast history stand out from the rest; Stories that stand the test of time and helped define the hero’s mythos. Read on to discover 15 of the most important moments from Batman’s history.

The Death of the Waynes

There isn’t a comic book fan alive that doesn’t know the origin of Batman. As seen in Detective Comics #33, Bruce Wayne’s parents, Thomas and Martha were killed by a no-name crook during a mugging gone wrong. This moment was...

The comic book adaptation is moving forward with Dreamworks hiring screenwriter Matt Cook. Based on the series written by John Wagner (Judge Dredd) the comic book follows the story of a contract killer (or button man) who participates in a deathmatch against other contract killers in a bizarre tournament orchestrated by the wealthy. When lead protagonist Harry Exton decides he wants to quit he finds leaving the game isn't as easy as he had hoped. Refn burst onto the mainstream stage with 2011's Drive and is currently finishing Only God Forgives, two films that star actor Ryan Gosling. What's the likelihood that Refn and Gosling re-team for another bloody-thriller in Button Man: The Killing Game? Button Man is a comic strip created for the British comic 2000 Ad, written by John Wagner and illustrated by Arthur Ranson. A group of millionaires hire their own hit men...

Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn's movie adaptation of Button Man: The Killing Game is moving forward.

Screenwriter Matt Cook has joined the 2000Ad-inspired project to redraft its script, according to Deadline.

Button Man, based on the comic series by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson, tells the story of an assassin who realises he must take out his employees to fulfil his wish of leaving the business.

Insomnia scribe Hilary Seitz and Paranoia co-screenwriter Barry Levy penned the initial script for DreamWorks, which Cook will rework.

Roger Kass, Josh Braun, Mark Sourian and Michael De Luca will produce the project for the studio.

Button Man: The Killing Game is yet to receive a release date.

Watch a trailer for Drive below:...

Screenwriter Matt Cook has signed on to rewrite Button Man: The Killing Game for DreamWorks Pictures. We reported in June that director Nicolas Winding Refn is directing the graphic novel adaptation.

The story is based on John Wagner and Arthur Ranson's graphic novel about a group of millionaires who play a dangerous game for fun, where they set their own hired guns against one another. The plot follows Harry Exton, one of the pawns in this game who decides he's had enough. He soon realizes that he not only will have to kill his fellow contestants, but the wealthy men pulling all the strings to get out alive.

Hillary Seitz (Insomnia, Eagle Eye) and Barry Levy (Paranoia, Vantage Point) previously worked on the screenplay. Roger Kass, Josh Braun, Mark Sourian and Michael De Luca, Mark Sourian, and Michael De Luca are producing.

Matt Cook made the Black List in...

The John Wagner and Arthur Ranson comic book  Button Man: The Killing Game has had a tough road trying to get to the big screen. Originally set to be made by A History of Violence executive producers Roger Kass and Josh Braun, the project is now in active development at DreamWorks with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn set to direct. Now, Deadline is reporting that screenwriter Matt Cook (whose script "By Way of Helena" appeared on the Hollywood Black List) has been commissioned to write the screenplay for Button Man . The plot for Button Man has a group of millionaires, "The Fixers," organizing a deadly game of murder amongst "Button Men," guns-for-hire that they pay to kill one another. When one man, Harry Exton,...

Ever since Nicolas Winding Refn nearly blew our heads clean off with "Drive" last year, the film industry has been curious as to what the Danish director might have up his sleeve next.

Industry insiders at Cannes got a sneak preview of Refn's next film, a new collaboration with Ryan Gosling, "Only God Forgives," but now Deadline is reporting that the director is in talks with Dreamworks to helm an adaption of John Wagner and Arthur Ranson's "Button Man: The Killing Game."

If you're unfamiliar with the book, the story is essentially "The Hunger Games," but the contestants are all hit men. (Ummm, sold!) The book follows Harry Exton, a hired gun, who finds himself involved in the hit man death match. The game is sponsored and bet on by millionaires, who pick a killer to win it all. Once Harry decides he wants out of the contest, his...

Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn has entered talks to direct Button Man, an adaptation of Button Man: The Killing Game, the violent 2000Ad comic strip by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson. The film, based at DreamWorks, was written by Hilary Seitz and once had Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star.

Button Man follows Harry Exton, a contract killer who fights in an underground sport with other hired killers. Each killer works for a ‘Voice,’ a wealthy (but unknown) man who controls part of the game. The aim is simple – kill the other players or take the first three joints of their finger. When they lose three fingers, they’re killed. But when Harry tries to leave the lucrative game, he discovers that it is much more difficult than he anticipated.

We first caught wind of Button ...

Click to continue reading Nicolas Winding Refn In Talks to Direct ‘Button Man’...

Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), the man behind one of the finest films of last year, is in talks with DreamWorks to direct Button Man, an adaptation of the graphic novel, Button Man: The Killing Game, by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson, the former of whom also created Judge Dredd.

After deservedly taking the Best Director award at Cannes for Drive last year, Winding Refn has returned to work with Ryan Gosling on Only God Forgives, a project everyone is already talking about, which promises to be potentially even more stylistically violent than Drive.

Adding to that Button Man: The Killing Game sounds pretty damn awesome:

“The action revolves around Harry Exton, a hired gun who’s offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death. The fat cats bet on the proceedings, and...

Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn is in talks with DreamWorks to direct upcoming graphic novel adaptation Button Man: The Killing Game.

The project is an adaptation of a graphic novel by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson and follows Harry Exton, a hit-man who takes part in a game organized by a group of millionaires. The game pits trained killers against each other in a fight to the death, while the rich bet on them. The main character decides to opt of of the competition and he finds that the only way out is to kill them all.

Roger Kass, Josh Braun and Michael De Luca are producing the film.

Arthur Ranson revealed the plans to adapt the graphic novel on his official site a week ago. Here is what he said about the project.

"I understand that DreamWorks have signed Nicolas Refn as director for a Button Man film. They...

Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn is in talks to direct Button Man. He is negotiating with DreamWorks over the adaptation of the 2000 Ad property, reports Deadline. The film will be based on the graphic novel Button Man: The Killing Game, which was written by John Wagner and illustrated by Arthur Ranson. It centres around hired gun Harry Exton, who is offered a substantial sum to perform for rich men in a game where (more)...

Nicolas Winding Refn earned a passionate fan base among art-house moviegoers for his films Bronson, starring Dark Knight Rises villain Tom Hardy, the Viking drama Valhalla Rising and the crime thrillers known as the Pusher trilogy. Refn made a mainstream splash last year pairing with Ryan Gosling for Drive, a crime thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) turned getaway man. Deadline made Refn’s growing fan base happy with news today of the Danish filmmaker joining the DreamWorks adaptation of Button Man: The Killing Game; a graphic novel by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson.

Nicolas Winding Refn earned a passionate fan base among art-house moviegoers for his films Bronson, starring Dark Knight Rises villain Tom Hardy, the Viking drama Valhalla Rising and the crime thrillers known as the Pusher trilogy. Refn made a mainstream splash last year pairing with Ryan Gosling for Drive, a crime thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) turned getaway man. Deadline made Refn’s growing fan base happy with news today of the Danish filmmaker joining the DreamWorks adaptation of Button Man: The Killing Game; a graphic novel by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson.

Nicolas Winding Refn ("Drive") is in talks to direct the comic adaptation "Button Man" at DreamWorks says Deadline.

"Judge Dredd" creator John Wagner co-wrote the graphic novel with Arthur Ranson about a hired gun offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death.

When Exton gets disgusted and opts out, his only exit strategy might be to off the millionaires funding the competition. Roger Kass, Josh Braun and Michael De Luca will produce.

Nicolas Winding Refn, director of 2011′s very awesome “Drive”, is prepared to bring that awesomeness to the movie adaptation of the comic book “Button Man”, by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson. Refn is currently in talks to direct the picture for Dreamworks. “Button Man” would revolve around a hired gun name Harry Exton, who is “offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death. The fat cats bet on the proceedings, and when Exton gets disgusted and opts out, his only exit strategy might be to off the millionaires funding the competition.” The book was written by “Judge Dredd” creator Wagner, with art by Arthur Ranson. The duo created the comic for 2000 Ad, the same home as “Dredd”, where it sold like hotcakes and spawn three sequels. Dreamworks has had rights to the...

Right now Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn is busy with star Ryan Gosling again on the set of Only God Forgives, a story about the son of a Florida-based crime syndicate boss (Kristen Scott Thomas) who is plying the drug trade in Thailand with his brother until the addicted sibling gets caught up in murder and has his life threatened. Then Gosling must use his mixed martial arts skills to seek revenge. There's swords and blood and it sounds awesome. And Refn isn't done with violence and crime yet as Deadline reports the director is in talks with DreamWorks to adapt Button Man, based on the graphic novel of the same name. The graphic novel by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson started in the 2000 Ad comic strips and here's the official synopsis: Harry Exton, ex-mercenary, is a "Button Man", a hired killer pitted against other killers in an underground sport.

It’s only been a day since we sighted some photos from his Ryan Gosling reteam, Only God Forgives, but Nicolas Winding Refn‘s next project may already be coming together. According to Deadline, the Dane has entered talks with DreamWorks about taking the reigns on Button Man, an adaptation of John Wagner and Arthur Ranson‘s graphic novel; Roger Kass, Josh Braun, and Michael De Luca are producing.

The set-up — which doesn’t sound entirely unlike a recent box office smash — sees us follow Harry Exton, a hitman who takes up the offer for “a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death.” Participating in these events upsets Exton’s moral fiber — and he kills people! — though it’s soon evident that offing those behind the show may be his only way of surviving.

Now, no matter what you think of his films,...

We had to take a moment when we first read news of Drive’s Nicolas Winding Refn entering talks to direct graphic novel adaptation Button Man: The Killing Game for DreamWorks. Because we had a brain blip and thought it said he was adapting Button Moon. Which, of course, would be utterly amazing.But he’s not, sadly for all those hoping that Ryan Gosling could be Mr Spoon. Instead, Refn is considering the prospect of directing The Killing Game, which finds former coppers and mercenaries hired by millionaires to take part in a game where they hunt one another to the death. The rich blobs bet on the outcome, but when our hero, Harry Exton, decides he’s had enough, he finds that his only real way out is to kill the shadowy cabal that runs the event.Crafted in its original form by Judge Dredd creator John Wagner and Arthur Ranson,...

We're not sure exactly how Dread-worthy this project will end up, but just in case, some exciting news has his the interwebs regarding Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn's next project, which could very well be a tasty graphic novel adaptation. Read on for more.

According to Deadline, Refn is in talks with DreamWorks to direct Button Man, an adaptation of the graphic novel Button Man: The Killing Game by John Wagner (Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog) and Arthur Ranson. The action revolves around Harry Exton, a hired gun who’s offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death. The fat cats bet on the proceedings, and when Exton gets disgusted and opts out, his only exit strategy might be to off the millionaires funding the competition.

Look for more soon if there's a need!

Those of you who are really looking forward to director Nicolas Winding Refn's remake of Logan's Run may have to wait a little bit longer for the project to come together, as it looks like a new one has popped up and will be fighting for Refn's attention. Deadline reports that the director is now in talks to helm an adaptation of Button Man: The Killing Game, the graphic novel by John Wagner (who is best known for creating Judge Dredd) and Arthur Ranson. The story centers on Harry Exton, an ordinary hired gun who agrees to participate in a game set up by a bunch of millionaires in which he is forced to face off against some of the world's most dangerous killers in a fight to the death. When Exton grows tired of the game, he realizes that the only way to stop it is to go...

Director Nicolas Winding Refn is currently busy in post-production on his Drive follow-up, Only God Forgives, but apparently he’s eyeing a graphic novel adaptation as a future project. Deadline reports that Refn is in talks with DreamWorks to direct Button Man, based on the graphic novel Button Man: The Killing Game by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson. The story centers on “a hired gun who’s offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death.” When the protagonist becomes disgusted and decides he wants out, he realizes that his only escape may be to kill the millionaires who are funding the competition. Hit the jump for more. The premise does bring to mind shades of The Hunger Games, but if studios are going to cheaply reach for projects that have similar plots in order to lure audiences,...

Nicolas Winding Refn, the arty genre director of "Drive," "Bronson" and "Valhalla Rising," is apparently planning a few chess moves ahead. And again, he's dabbling with Hollywood and major studios. The Danish filmmaker, already adapting a remake of "Logan's Run" for Warner Bros. is in talks to direct an adaptation of the graphic novel, "Button Man: The Killing Game" for DreamWorks.

Written by Arthur Ranson and John Wagner (who created the Judge Dredd graphic novel character), "Button Man: The Killing Game" centers on a former mercenary named Harry Exton, who is recruited into a game in which retired soldiers are sponsored by wealthy investors -- called "Voices," because they’re only heard on the telephone -- to face off against each other in fights to the death.

“Moneyball” producer Michael De Luca is one of the men shepherding this project. In development since at least 2008, scribes like Hillary Seitz (“Insomnia,...

Exclusive: Drive helmer Nicolas Winding Refn is in talks with DreamWorks to direct Button Man, an adaptation of the graphic novel Button Man: The Killing Game by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson. Wagner created Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog. The action revolves around Harry Exton, a hired gun who’s offered a fortune to take part in a game organized by bored millionaires that sets trained killers against one another in a fight to the death. The fat cats bet on the proceedings, and when Exton gets disgusted and opts out, his only exit strategy might be to off the millionaires funding the competition. The film is produced by Roger Kass, Josh Braun and Michael De Luca. Deal isn’t done yet, but it certainly is material that is a strong match for Refn. After the critical acclaim for the stylishly violent Drive, Refn re-teamed with Ryan Gosling for Only God Forgives,...