The script for Prophet, an adaptation of Rob Liefeld’s comic book series of the same name, will be written by action writer Kurt Johnstad. Jake Gyllenhaal will play the lead role, while Extraction helmer Sam Hargraves will helm the picture. It has been reported by The Hollywood Reporter that Johnstad will be working on the project as the primary writer. After Liefeld left Marvel to form Image Comics in the early ’90s, he created the character of John Prophet, who would serve as the inspiration for the film. The hero would go on to become a fan favourite in the Youngblood comics. In the comics, Prophet is drafted into the German army towards the close of World War II, where he undergoes a series of experiments performed by a time-travelling doctor, and emerges with superhuman strength and skills.
The planned film’s premise, however, diverges somewhat from Liefeld’s original account. Prophet still agrees to participate in the German experiments, but 20 years later, he is buried by an Allied bomb and forced to live underground. After waking up in 1965, he finds that “the world has carried on without him.” While evading KGB spies who want to take his blood to produce new supersoldiers, he tries to win back the affection of his angry daughter. Marc Guggenheim, who is best known for his work on the Arrowverse television programs for The CW, penned the film’s initial script, however, he may no longer be engaged in the production. Johnstad is taking up writing duties instead, however, it is unknown if he is starting from scratch or adapting some of Guggenheim’s earlier work.
Not only did he co-write 300 with Zack Snyder, but he also wrote the sequel 300: Rise of an Empire. In addition to this, Johnstad has written the screenplays for and served as executive producer on the film productions of Act of Valor and Atomic Blonde. On Snyder’s upcoming sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon, Johnstad will once again collaborate with Snyder in the roles of writer and executive producer. Studio 8 has hired Jeff Robinov and John Graham to serve as executive producers on Hargraves’ Prophet. Prime Universe Films’ Adrian Askarieh, together with John Schoenfelder and Russel Ackerman, are also executive producers.
As producers, Gyllenhaal, Liefeld, and Brooklyn Weaver will all have their names on the lights. Outside of Gyllenhaal, no other cast members have been revealed. There is no set date for the release of Prophet, but given how far along the pre-production process it seems to be, it might be a while.