The recent success of DEADPOOL really seems to have opened minds of studios. Sure, the huge topic of discussion seems to be that studios are realizing that an R-rating isn’t necessarily the kiss of death they thought it would be to a superhero film, but there seems to be another big takeaway from all this. Studios are now realizing that movies don’t need to cost an arm and a leg to be a financial hit. DEADPOOL was made for a mere $58 million, according to Box Office Mojo, and compared to its X-MEN counterparts, which cost anywhere from $150-$200 million, it’s a rather small investment.

This isn’t a fact that’s been lost on the studios, and now independent studio Bold Films–who is best known for its low-key character-based dramas like NIGHTCRAWLER, WHIPLASH, and DRIVEB–has picked up the rights to SAMARITAN, a spec script from writer Bragi F. Schut (SEASON OF THE WITCH). According to the Tracking Board, the script is described as FINDING FORRESTER meets UNBREAKABLE. The synopsis for the film is as follows:

“The spec is set two decades after an epic battle left a city’s super villain dead and a superhero missing, a young boy befriends an old man who he believes is the hero in hiding. But the truth he discovers is more shocking than he could have ever imagined.”

It is unclear if SAMARITAN is based on the superhero of the same name in ASTRO CITY, but as of this writing, it doesn’t appear to be the case based on the premise and the lack of the source material being mentioned in the reports. Right now it seems most likely that this is a wholly original project from the writer.

There is no word yet on what the budget of the film will be, but given the trend set by DEADPOOL, I can’t imagine it breaking $60 million. Perhaps given the studio’s track record, we can expect something more in the vein of Josh Trank’s CHRONICLE, the $12 million superhero picture that put him on the map.

What do you think of the sound of this film? Let us know in the comments down below!

SOURCE: The Tracking Board