A 'HARBINGER' OF SUPER HEROES TO COME: RATNER MAY DIRECT COMIC BOOK ADAPTATION (VAR)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Vialatte

Brett Ratner is in talks to direct an adaptation of the �Harbinger� comic book series for Paramount. Paramount has acquired rights to turn the Valiant Comics series into a live-action feature with Alexandra Milchan producing alongside Ratner and Jay Stern, says Variety. The project may be branded under the MTV Films banner.

Created by Jim Shooter, the popular "Harbinger" comic book series was published in the 1990s. Harbingers are humans with powers that can be unlocked by "omega" harbingers. In the series, teenager Pete Stanchek finds himself on a collision course with an older "omega" who used his gifts to become an evil industrialist.

"The movie is in the vein of a young 'Blade Runner,' as this 17-year- old gifted kid helps other kids tap into these parts of their brains," Milchan told Variety.

Ratner was looking for an opportunity to start a superhero franchise from scratch, says Variety. The project will be written while Ratner continues work on other directing projects, including "Playboy," the Brian Grazer-produced film about Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner for Universal.

Valiant Comics developed a strong following by launching hero franchises that had interconnected storylines (much like DC and Marvel titles). The company, which sold 80 million comic books and 8 million videogames, was sold to video game company Acclaim Entertainment in 1994 for $65 million but had done little recently as that company hit the financial rocks.