GREEN HORNET AND KATO Movie Finds Director In THE INVISIBLE MAN's Leigh Whannell

Universal's Green Hornet and Kato movie has been in development for a while at this stage, and the project has finally found a director in The Invisible Man helmer Leigh Whannell.

News

By MarkCassidy - Jun 23, 2022 04:06 PM EST

Filed Under: Green Hornet

It's been a while since we had any updates on this one, but Universal's long-gestating The Green Hornet and Kato movie has finally found a director.

According to Deadline, The Invisible Man's Leigh Whannell is in final negotiations to helm the feature. Studio execs have reportedly been meeting with potential directors over the past couple of weeks, but "felt as soon as Whannell threw his name in the mix, he had the edge."

Universal optioned the rights to the iconic character from Amasia, the production banner run by former Marvel Studios President Michael Helfant and Bradley Gallo, back in 2020, and the project has been in the early stages of development since. Very few plot details from David Koepp's script have come to light, but, as the title suggests, Kato is expected to get equal billing and screen-time to Britt Reid.

"Our goal is to make a film that existing fans will love, and new fans will love to discover," said Helfant in a statement at the time. "With Universal, it feels like we are merging the past and the future, creating a contemporary version of the franchise that is fresh and exciting while respecting its long legacy and history." Gallo added: "The confluence of America and Asia is so important. Who better to partner with than a company that has such a major presence on both continents? We also know that Universal will align with our 'film geek' sensibilities and offer up a vision which respects the iconic world of The Green Hornet."

The Green Hornet was previously adapted for the big screen back in 2011 for Sony Pictures' comedic adventure starring Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz and Jay Chou, but this is expected to be a more serious take on the material.

What do you guys make of this news? Do you think the Green Hornet is due an update, or should he remain a relic of the past? Drop us a comment down below.

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79 Comments

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bobevanz - 6/23/2022, 4:04 PM

Maybe this will start a Renaissance and when I make The Shadow movie in 5 years you'll all be commenting on it lmao

GhostDog - 6/23/2022, 4:11 PM

@bobevanz - Raimi owns the rights to Shadow still

JonAwesome - 6/23/2022, 4:28 PM

@GhostDog - I’m pretty sure Raimi doesn’t have the rights anymore. Besides in 5 years The Shadow will enter public domain.

GhostDog - 6/23/2022, 4:33 PM

@JonAwesome - damn I just heard on Blank Check podcast yesterday that he had it still. Guess they were wrong

JDL - 6/23/2022, 7:35 PM

@JonAwesome - Very likely meaningless. By that standard Mickey Mouse would be public domain and we know that not to be the case.

What the studio's do is to tradename the characters name and trademark the characters likeness. Those never expire, making the expiration of the copyright virtually useless.

JonAwesome - 6/23/2022, 11:46 PM

@JDL - The Shadow isn’t used in that manner. There are no extensions or logo rights to consider. It will be like the wizard of Oz or Peter Pan. Anyone can make an adaptation of the characters

JDL - 6/24/2022, 1:53 AM

@JonAwesome - Sorry I checked the online Federal Resistry. The Shadow is registered. The artwork side is a harder thing to check but without the name I would say any copycat project would be starting at ground zero.

JonAwesome - 6/24/2022, 6:46 AM

@JDL - I’m not sure you understand how Public Domain works. Also Mickey Mouse will enter public domain January 1, 2024. On that date the original SteamBoat Willie version of Mickey Mouse will enter public domain. Later iterations will still fall under copyright law until they too fall into public domain. The original Winnie the Pooh has already fallen into public domain. Everything enters public domain eventually.

JDL - 6/24/2022, 4:21 PM

@JonAwesome - Actually I do. What you don't understand is that trademarks NEVER enter the public domain as long as the holder renews them every 10 or so years.

JonAwesome - 6/24/2022, 5:12 PM

@JDL - Trademark law protects words, phrases, and symbols used to identify the source of the products or services. Copyright protects works of artistic expression from being copied. While you can renew Trademarks pretty much forever, the same is not true for copyright law. The Shadow wouldn’t even come close to having anything Trademark law protects.

JDL - 6/24/2022, 7:25 PM

@JonAwesome - Not true. Trademarks and Tradenames are already registered for the Shadow going back to 1949.

JonAwesome - 6/24/2022, 8:39 PM

@JDL - But what happens when the copyright expires and the trademark is ongoing? In a unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court made clear that trademarks cannot be used to make an end run around copyright law because this would “create a species of mutant copyright law that limits the public’s federal right to copy and to use expired copyrights.” 5 In other words, trademark rights cannot be used to block what the expiration of copyright allows, such as using a public domain character in a new creative work. Along the same lines, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals explained that when a work enters the public domain “[w]e all own it now” and trademark law “cannot be used to circumvent copyright law.

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2022/bcvpd/

JDL - 6/27/2022, 12:24 AM

@JonAwesome - That's talking about using trademarks to extend copyrights. That's not what I'm talking about at all.

They can copy Steamboat Willie, no problems. What they can't do is use the name Mickey Mouse outside of the cartoon. Nor can they use any of the trademarked artworks or derivitives of them.

So no Murch, no Derivative Works, no reason to bother copying for the most part.

NightBoyWonder - 6/23/2022, 4:05 PM

Not much of a fan of Green Hornet (before my time)

But I AM a fan of Leigh Whannell. Loved both Invisible Man and Upgrade

micvalpro - 6/23/2022, 4:05 PM

I actually like the Seth rogan movie. Kato is the best part of it.

dracula - 6/23/2022, 4:10 PM

@micvalpro - Bruce Lee would have been spinning in his grave.

did the guy playing kato even know kung fu, they ruined the fights with weird special effects

micvalpro - 6/23/2022, 4:15 PM

@dracula - Hes a martial artist... He was still the best part of the movie regardless.

UncleHarm1 - 6/23/2022, 4:50 PM

@dracula - I got to hang out in the gadget car from the Seth Rogen movie. Sitting in a hot vehicle for a few minutes was the most enjoyable part of that film.

dragon316 - 6/23/2022, 5:58 PM

@micvalpro - as long some one liked it if it wasn’t for stupid comedy it be decent version

OmegaBlack13 - 6/23/2022, 6:12 PM

@micvalpro - Same. It was by no means great but I never understood all the hate it got. But then again I haven’t seen much of the original show.

AmazingFILMporg - 6/23/2022, 4:07 PM

By Leigh Whannell?😐....

This is gonna be goooooooood🥲

dracula - 6/23/2022, 4:09 PM

please dont mess this up again

Iko Uwais as Kato
Nicholas Holt as Green Hornet

McMurdo - 6/23/2022, 4:10 PM

Loved Invisible Man

AmazingFILMporg - 6/23/2022, 4:11 PM

@McMurdo -

Leigh Whannell was behind James Wann's best work💪

Superspecialawesomeguy - 6/23/2022, 4:11 PM

I hope they get a real martial artist to play the new Kato, he has some mighty big shoes to fill.

RolandD - 6/23/2022, 4:25 PM

@Superspecialawesomeguy - Hey! That actor knows martial arts.

GhostDog - 6/23/2022, 4:12 PM

I’ve always loved Green Hornet and Kato. Anything pulpy really. Whannell killed it with Invisible Man so I expect great things. Wonder if he goes modern. I think it’s better to keep it golden age.

Hope he takes inspiration from the Dynamite Waid run

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GREEN HORNET AND KATO Movie Finds Director In THE INVISIBLE MAN's Leigh Whannell

Universal's Green Hornet and Kato movie has been in development for a while at this stage, and the project has finally found a director in The Invisible Man helmer Leigh Whannell.

Universal Pictures Moving Forward With THE GREEN HORNET AND KATO Reboot

GREEN HORNET: Former Marvel Studios President Has Gained The Rights To The Iconic Franchise

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.