Jared Leto is in early talks to star in Sony’s “Bloodshot,” an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Last September, Sony revealed it would be moving forward with its five-film plan for joint franchises based on the Valiant comic books “Harbinger” and “Bloodshot.” The studio preemptively renewed its option on “Harbinger” — which follows a teenage runaway with massive telekinetic powers — for a sum in the high six figures and is moving to package the pictures quickly.
“Bloodshot” is about a mortally-wounded soldier resurrected with cutting-edge nanotechnology and tasked with rounding up “harbingers.” The character will be introduced in “Harbinger,” with “Bloodshot” following a year later.
“Bloodshot” will be produced by Neal Moritz and will be directed by Dave Wilson. Eric Heisserer (“Arrival”) is writing the screenplay. It’s not immediately clear what character Leto will play.
Valiant’s library is truly one of the great and as-yet untapped wells of intellectual property anywhere in Hollywood. The publisher’s bench of more than 2,000 superhero characters (with lifetime sales of more than 80 million copies) makes it the third largest library of superheroes behind Marvel and DC — and the only one not currently owned by major conglomerate.
Sony had no comment. Deadline first reported the news.