Crossed Movie in the Works: Garth Ennis' Graphic Novel Gets the Big Screen Treatment

Garth Ennis, the acclaimed comic book writer behind acclaimed television adaptations of *Preacher

and *The Boys*, is bringing another of his graphic novels to the big screen. *Crossed*, Ennis's brutal and uncompromising take on a pandemic-stricken world, is set to become a feature film, with indie outfit Six Studios securing the rights to Ennis's screenplay.

*Crossed

paints a grim picture of a world ravaged by a deadly disease. The infected, marked by a cross-shaped rash on their faces, are driven by their darkest impulses, transforming into homicidal maniacs. This isn't a typical zombie apocalypse; these individuals retain their intelligence, making them even more terrifying.

The original ten-issue run of *Crossed

was published between 2008 and 2010, and the franchise has since expanded to over 200 issues, featuring contributions from various writers and artists, including *Watchmen* scribe Alan Moore.

Six Studios is currently searching for a director for the film, which they anticipate costing between £1.6 million and £2.4 million. The project is expected to begin filming in autumn.

Production will be overseen by Carl Choi of Six Studios, alongside Ben Hung of Retro Entertainment and Ken Levin of Nightsky Productions, who spearheaded the development of the *Crossed

film with Ennis and brought it to Six Studios. Jeff Huang of Six Studios will serve as executive producer alongside Ennis, Carl Amari, and Bill Patterson.

Ennis's previous television ventures, *The Boys

and *Preacher*, have garnered widespread acclaim, with *The Boys* becoming one of the most successful comic book adaptations of the decade. Amazon's *The Boys* has spawned multiple spin-offs and is currently in production for its fifth and final season. *Preacher* ran for four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

Choi describes the *Crossed

screenplay as an intimate, human story, a faithful adaptation that blends the chilling realism of *Contagion* with the gritty survivalism of *The Walking Dead*. He compares the narrative to Alex Garland's *Civil War*, highlighting its journey across a ravaged United States.

Six Studios is also developing *The Riftwar Saga

for television and was behind *Curse of the Sin Eater*, which was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn in October. With a talented team and a strong source material, *Crossed* is poised to become a chilling and compelling cinematic experience.