Steven Spielberg is working on a Blackhawk movie from DC Comics

On the heels of their successful collaboration on Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment are again teaming with Warner Bros. Pictures to produce the action-adventure Blackhawk, with an eye to Spielberg directing the film. Based on the classic DC property, the project will mark the filmmaker’s first feature centred around characters from DC. The announcement was made by Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

In making the announcement, Emmerich stated, “We are so proud to be the studio behind Steven Spielberg’s latest hit, and are thrilled to be working with him again on this new action adventure. We can’t wait to see what new ground he will break in introducing ‘Blackhawk’ to movie audiences worldwide.”

Led by a mysterious man known as Blackhawk, the Blackhawks (or more formally, the Blackhawk Squadron) are a small team of World War II-era ace pilots of varied nationalities, each typically known under a single name, either their given name or their surname. Though the membership roster has undergone changes over the years, the team has been portrayed most consistently as having seven core members.

In their most well-known incarnation, the Blackhawks operate from a hidden base known only as Blackhawk Island, fly Grumman XF5F Skyrocket planes, and shout their battle cry of “Hawk-a-a-a!” as they descend from the skies to fight tyranny and oppression. Clad in matching blue and black uniforms (with Blackhawk himself boasting a hawk insignia on his chest), early stories pitted the team against the Axis powers, but they would also come to battle recurring foes such as King Condor and Killer Shark, as well as encounter an array of gorgeous and deadly femme fatales. They also frequently squared off against fantastical war machines ranging from amphibious “shark planes” and flying tanks, to the aptly named War Wheel, a gigantic rolling behemoth adorned with spikes and machine guns – Wiki

The screenplay for “Blackhawk” is being written by David Koepp, who has collaborated with Spielberg as a screenwriter on the blockbusters “Jurassic Park,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “War of the Worlds” and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Spielberg will produce the film together with Kristie Macosko Krieger, under the Amblin Entertainment banner, while Sue Kroll will executive produce, under her Kroll & Co. Entertainment shingle.

Spielberg noted, “It was wonderful working with the team at Warner Bros. to bring ‘Ready Player One’ to the screen. They bring a blend of passion and professionalism to everything they do and have a tremendous history in this genre. I am excited to reunite with them on ‘Blackhawk.’”

Spielberg’s next two films are the fifth instalment of the Indiana Jones franchise and “West Side Story.”

“Blackhawk” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.