A 10-minute film created by Brazilian visual effects artist Marcus Alqueres, The Flying Man is something like a superhero version of the Boondock Saints, centering on a super-powered vigilante who takes to the skies in LA and starts killing criminals without trial.
The film has over six million views on YouTube, and created enough buzz when it was originally released in July of 2013 that Alqueres and producing partner Scott Glassgold were able to work up a spec script with Chris Collings, who wrote for The Wire and Sons of Anarchy.
A visual-effects laden drama that draws on its director’s experience as an artist on major blockbusters such as 300, Source Code, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Tintin, The Flying Man could be easily adapted to be a very interesting superhero film, though likely with a darker undertone than the company’s planned 2017 Spider Man release.
The project is in good hands; Glassgold has made a career of setting up short films at major studios, helping bring True Skin to Warner Brothers, and Beyond at Universal Pictures. He has recently entered in a first-look deal with Sony, and will continue to look for compelling stories that could use longer silver-screen adaptations for the company, via his newly-minted production house, called Ground Control.
So far, at least, he looks to be making excellent choices — fan theories as to the origin of The Flying Man, as well as his ultimate motives, or why he spared a particular character in the 10-minute short, are still trickling into the YouTube short’s comments section, even two years after its release.
The Flying Man has not yet been cast, and has no formally-planned release date.
