Chad Stahelski acquires rights to Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger novels with plans to develop them as a TV series.
Deadline reports that John Wick director Chad Stahelski has snagged the rights to Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger novels with plans to develop it as a TV series through his 87Eleven Entertainment production company.
The Joe Ledger series currently consists of 10 novels and follows the titular character, a Baltimore detective who is recruited into the Department of Military Sciences, a specialized entity of the US Government which deals with technologically advanced threats to the US and the world at large by terrorists. Such threats include zombies, vampires, aliens, and robots. “I really loved reading the Joe Ledger series. It’s an all-time epic action series with intrigue, suspense, and such engaging characters,” said Stahelski in a statement. “As I read it, I could see the immediate cinematic potential. I’m excited to be working with Jonathan to turn it into a TV series.”
Joe Ledger author Jonathan Maberry added, “Chad’s career, both behind and in front of the camera, pretty much defines the kinds of things I love to watch. The Matrix, The Crow, John Wick – and so many others are solidly in my wheelhouse. And we’re both lifelong martial artists as well as professional pop-culture geeks. When we sat down for the first time to discuss Joe Ledger, it was clear that he not only read the books but deeply and empathetically understood the characters. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone in Hollywood whose mind runs along tracks this similar to my own. He’s also a visionary and a hell of a lot of fun. This is what they mean when they talk about ‘Hollywood magic.’“
This isn’t the first time a series based on the Joe Ledger novels has been in the works. Nearly 15 years ago, Javier Grillo-Marxuach was penning a Joe Ledger pilot script for ABC, but the studio didn’t move forward with it.
The Joe Ledger series isn’t the only TV project Stahelski has in the works. He’s also set to continue the story of John Wick with John Wick: The High Table. Taking place directly after the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, the series aims to “combine new and old and thrust the Wick universe into a new age.” Stahelski will executive produce the project alongside Keanu Reeves, and will also direct the pilot episode.