Britain’s iconic toy Action Man is making its way to the big screen thanks to Hasbro Entertainment and Working Title Films.
The companies are jointly developing a live-action feature based on the classic action figure, which first appeared in British toy shops six decades ago.
The feature-length flick is being conceived as a fast-paced action comedy that is said to pay tribute to the genre’s cinematic heritage.
The film will also reportedly embrace Action Man’s distinctly British identity and espionage roots.
Action Man figures have been a staple in toy shops for decades
|
PA
Working Title is the production company behind several British blockbusters, including Love Actually, the Bridget Jones’s Diary series and Edgar Wright titles such as Baby Driver.
The screenplay is in the hands of Simon Hatt and Anthony Sellitti, both of whom have experience working with Marvel on their CVs.
Hasbro is behind the upcoming movie
|
GETTY
Mr Hatt, a British filmmaker based in Los Angeles, spent a decade at Marvel Studios, where he worked alongside James Gunn and rose to executive producer on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Meanwhile, Mr Sellitti’s credits include penning 10 episodes of the Emmy-nominated animated series X-Men ’97.
Overseeing the production is Jeremy Latcham, another Marvel alumnus whose filmography spans The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Mr Latcham also has prior Hasbro experience, having produced 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Simon Hatt will help bring Action Man to life
|
GETTY
Action Man was created by toy manufacturer Palitoy in 1966, arriving two years after Hasbro’s GI Joe had proved a smash hit across the Atlantic.
The original figures were produced under licence from Hasbro and closely resembled their American counterparts.
Palitoy soon carved out a separate identity for the brand, introducing uniforms and gear modelled on the British armed forces.
Over the following decades, Action Man evolved well beyond its military origins.
An Action Man figure made by Planitoy in the 1970s
|
GETTY
By the 1990s, the character had been reinvented as something closer to a James Bond-esque figure.
No director, cast or release date has yet been confirmed for the project. Hasbro declined to comment on the announcement, and Working Title did not respond to requests.
Both Mr Hatt and Mr Sellitti are described as lifelong fans of the toy line.
Their enthusiasm was such that Mr Hatt called in a favour from a stunt crew to produce a pre-visualised fight sequence, which is said to have helped convince Hasbro and Working Title to back their vision.
Comments are closed.