Tom King writer of the award-winning ‘Mister Miracle’ comic book series has joined Ava DuVernay in an attempt to write the screenplay of DC Films’ New Gods movie. King successfully revived the mythology of the “Fourth World” comic book series from the 1970s using the great characters created by the comic book legend Jack Kirby.
The “Fourth World” stories reveal the conflict between two alien planets, New Genesis and Apokolips. The storyline migrates to earth when Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips, discovers that the key to eradicating free will across the universe can be found in the minds of certain humans.
Writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerads’ Mister Miracle series, which featured multiple New Gods characters, took the mythology further than it had gone under Kirby in terms of plot development, won multiple awards throughout its 12-issue run, which ended in November.
DuVernay was announced as the director of the New Gods film adaptation in March of last year. The reaction was mixed with DC comic book fans at the time but her work with King I am sure will go a long way to help soften the criticism of the project. My hope is it will produce a good enjoyable film that is true to the roots of what Kirby intended.
DuVernay shortly after she was announced as the helmer of the New Gods movie declared on Twitter that Big Barda was her favorite superhero for “many reasons.” Barda — one of the Female Furies, an elite squad of warrior women trained to fight for New Gods arch-antagonist Darkseid — is one of the most popular characters in the Fourth World mythology. Not coincidentally, she was one of the main characters in King’s Mister Miracle series.
News of King’s hiring was first reported by The Wrap.