In development since 2018, David Koepp has finally given an update on the Blackhawk film which was to be directed by Spielberg.
It’s been four years since it was announced that Steven Spielberg would jump on the DC bandwagon by developing a movie based on Black Falcon. Seeming to fall squarely into the genre of war-based film that Spielberg is frequently familiar with, there has been a distinct lack of updates on the project, with the most recent arriving in 2020. However, screenwriter David Koepp has finally shared some promising news about the movie, though it’s still a long way from solid confirmation that the movie is going exactly as planned.
Koepp recently spoke with Collider and explained the issues the film has faced since its initial announcement four years ago, which mostly seem to stem from a number of changes in direction and where the studio is focusing on its DC output. The writer, who worked on four previous Spielberg films, including jurassic park and War of the Worlds, also cast doubt on Spielberg’s actual involvement in the film. He said:
“We have a script that’s very good and we all think it’s very good. There’s been a lot of management changes at Warner Bros, so I think we just waited for that to stabilize and they decide what they want to do with their DC universe. Obviously I hope he does or if he doesn’t realize it, I hope he produces it, somebody great is leading. Because that would be great fun. I really like the script and hope it comes to fruition. But then again, this is one of those movies that’s going to need 200 million dollars, so trying to keep those whales away from the beach is a big process.
Blackhawk’s future comes down to changes at Warner Bros. and Spielberg’s availability.
In 2018, when the Black Falcon movie was announced, the world was a different place. Two years out from the Covid pandemic that would see many films fall by the wayside and others spend the next two years catching up, Warner Bros. and Steven Spielberg were in different places than they are now.
Spielberg has a number of projects to consider, because after making The Fabelmans, he’s now considering a Steven McQueen remake Bullitt, which may mean that Koepp’s belief that he’s on board as a producer only seems like a very likely outcome right now. Also, if there is a belief that Black Falcon could end up in production hell for years due to the volatile nature of DCEU and DC movies in general, so Spielberg won’t want his time held up waiting.
Similarly, the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery is going to cause another big shake-up for the company and their vision for future releases under the DC umbrella. With so many previously announced films having already been dropped before the merger, it’s fair to assume that others could follow the same path. Everything will become clearer over time, but for now Koepp’s hopes seem to be all fans can cling to when it comes to the likelihood of Black Falcon bring it to the screen.
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