May 8, 2008 The "Superman" star is set to play the lead role in the film adaptation of the comic book series that inspired "Cemetery Man."



From today's Variety:

Brandon Routh is returning to the world of comicbook heroes.
The "Superman Returns" star will topline "Dead of Night," based on the bestselling Italian comicbook series "Dylan Dog," for Hyde Park and Platinum Studios.

Kevin Munroe will direct from a script by "Sahara" scribes Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Dean Donnelly.

Routh will play a private investigator who is drawn into the world of the undead.

Created by Tiziano Sclavi, "Dylan Dog" was first published in 1986 and has been translated into 17 languages.

Hyde Park topper Ashok Amritraj will produce alongside Platinum's Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, who brought the "Men in Black" franchise to Sony. Hyde Park's Patrick Aiello will exec produce alongside Randy Greenberg.

Hyde Park and Platinum have tapped Al Ovadia & Associates as worldwide agent for merchandising both the film and the comicbook property. The company has managed a number of merchandising programs, including Fox's global launch of "The Simpsons Movie."

Hyde Park is in production on the vidgame-based "Street Fighter," being directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak.

Platinum, which controls a library of more than 5,600 comicbook characters, is developing a number of projects including "Atlantis Rising" at DreamWorks and "Unique" at Walt Disney Pictures.

Routh can next be seen alongside Billy Bob Thornton and Kim Basinger in drama "The Informers."

While "Cemetery Man" wasn't a direct adaptation, apparently, it was definitely inspired and Rupert EEverett's appearance was supposed to have inspired the look of the character in the comic series.

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