Emmy nominee and “Community star” Joel McHale is in talks to join “Quantum and Woody,” the Russo Brothers’ new action/comedy television series adapting the seminal comics title from Valiant Entertainment, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
McHale would star as Woody Henderson — a wisecracking, womanizing slacker, who along with his straitlaced adoptive brother, is granted unpredictable superpowers from a pair of energy control bands they find while investigating their father’s death. The two are now stuck with each other — they must “klang” the bands together every 24 hours or their powers will kill them.
The casting would be a reunion for McHale and the Russos, who previously directed multiple television comedies, including “Community” and “Arrested Development” (for which they won an Emmy). The brothers are now among Hollywood’s hottest directors, having struck it big as the helmers of Marvel’s last two “Captain America” features and the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War” films.
Anthony & Joe Russo will serve as executive producers alongside Mike Larocca, Valiant’s Dinesh Shamdasani and writers Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari (writers of “Ant-Man” and the upcoming “Ant-Man and The Wasp” for Marvel Studios).
Barrer & Ferrari wrote the pilot script and series outline, and are expected to show run. Casting for the other lead role- – Woody’s African-American adopted brother, Quantum — is expected to follow shortly with several major names circling. McHale is the latest high-profile talent to recently attach himself to Valiant’s growing stable of film and TV properties.
Jared Leto is reported to be in negotiations to take the lead in Valiant’s “Bloodshot” feature film at Sony, to be directed by Blur Studios’ Dave Wilson from a script by Oscar-nominated writer Eric Heisserer. Meanwhile, “Guardians of the Galaxy”‘s Dave Bautista announced on Twitter recently that he is attached to star in the upcoming “Eternal Warrior” film.
Other Valiant projects currently known to the public include a “Harbinger” film set to follow “Bloodshot” at Sony from director Justin Tipping (“Kicks”) and also written by Heisserer; as well as an “Archer & Armstrong” film from director Ruben Fleischer (“Zombieland”) from a script by Terry Rossio (“Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Shrek”); and “Shadowman” from director Reginald Hudlin (“Marshall”) from a script by Adam Simon (“Salem”) and J. Michael Straczynski (“World War Z,” “Thor”).
Originally created by the writer/artist team of Christopher Priest (“Black Panther”) & MD Bright (“Green Lantern”), “Quantum and Woody” is one of the most acclaimed comic book series of the past two decades. The series’ most recent volume, launched in 2013, was the most nominated series of the following year’s Harvey Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in comics.
“Quantum and Woody” — “the world’s worst superhero team” — are a bickering pair of interracial, adopted brothers accidentally granted superpowers in a laboratory explosion while investigating the death of their father. Synopsis of the comics series from Valiant here:
Once upon a time, Eric and Woody Henderson were inseparable. Adopted brothers. Best friends. Brilliant minds. Years later, they are estranged siblings, petty rivals, and washed-up failures. But when their father’s murder leads them into the throes of a life-altering accident, Eric and Woody will find themselves with a whole new purpose — and a perfectly legitimate reason to wear costumes and fight crime. Go big or go home, folks! Quantum and Woody are coming!
A new “Quantum and Woody” comic book series, from “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” writer Daniel Kibblesmith and artist Kano, is scheduled to debut in December.
McHale is repped by WME and Kovert Creative.