Comic book creators just love twisting old fables into new stories. And, in turn, like some creative food chain, movie producers like adapting comic books. So it's not entirely surprising that a title based on the Pied Piper is now in the process of becoming a film.
Zenescope's comic The Piper is a dark retelling of the Hamelin-based fable that saw a mysterious man charm the local rats from the small town, then spirit away the populace's kids when they refused to pay for his service.
But this new take instead has a bullied high school student channel the legend's charming powers to exact terrifying consequences on those who've wronged him. And, if the cover of the comic is to be believed, looking like the result of a one-night stand between **Pirates Of The Caribbean'**s Davy Jones and Spider-Man's Venom.
Persistent Entertainment and Zenescope are teaming up to plunge the thing into the fire of development, and the companies are now looking for a writer. Given that Persistent produced Southland Tales and David O Russell's endlessly troubled Nailed, we're not counting on this one rushing to cinemas...