As reported by Deadline, Warner Bros. has acquired BLACK, the fan-favorite series from Black Mask comics created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith. 

The story centers on one young man who survives a violent event and realizes that he is part of an extraordinary set of people. However, a secret consortium wants to control their abilities, and he soon finds himself at the center of a war over the future of mankind itself. 

“Part of the inspiration for Black came from my experiencing the lack of representation in comics publishing and how that directly relates to the scarceness of black characters,” said Osajyefo told Deadline. “For most of comics’ history, white outcasts have been used as allegories for marginalized groups while claiming to reflect the world outside our window. BLACK strips away this veneer to juxtapose superpowers with race while allowing black people to see ourselves authentically in media and inviting wider audiences into parts of our experience. We’re excited to bring this story to everyone through film, and thankful to Studio 8 for believing in it.”

“We became involved in the development of this story over a year ago,” said Studio 8 CEO Jeff Robinov. “Black represents a new generation of storytellers and creators who can accurately tell black stories with the type of care the industry has lacked for decades. The thought-provoking concept caught our attention early on, and we’re proud to play a role in bringing this story to the screen.”

Bryan Edward Hill, who is a producer on DC’s Titans, has written the script. Jeff Robinov, Guy Danella, and John Graham will produce from Studio 8 with Black Mask Studio’s Matteo Pizzolo and Brett Gurewitz to serve as producer and executive producer. Osajyefo and Smith are co-producers as well. The team is currently looking to attach a director.

For a preview of the book, see below. For more information on BLACK VOLUME 1, click here.