Does big time studio director Brett Ratner lie around the Grotto half-naked with Hugh Hefner and his Bunnies while searching through ancient Valiant comic books for his next franchise? If not, did an assistant bring him a copy of Harbinger and if so, why not a copy of Turok Dinosaur Hunter or X-O Manowar instead? I mean, at least those forgotten Valiant series had snazzy holographic covers. The world may never know or care.

Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand), who is currently toying around with a Hefner biopic entitled Playboy, is attached to direct a Harbinger feature film for Paramount Pictures, with MTV Films circling the project as well. The discontinued ’90s comic series followed a group of angst-stricken teenagers called Harbingers who had superpowers, the catch being that these teens’ powers had to be unlocked by more experienced “omega” harbingers. Conflict arises when one teen Harbinger must face his omega mentor, an evaaal industrialist.

“The movie is in the vein of a young ‘Blade Runner,’ as this 17-year- old gifted kid helps other kids tap into these parts of their brains,” said producer Alexandra Milchan.

A “new, young Blade Runner” aside, reportedly one reason why The Rat took interest in the series is that he wants to create a (possibly suck-worthy) comic book film franchise from the ground up. According to Variety, Valiant Comics is set for a comeback after its extensive library was purchased by a private company that will apparently kick-start the better known titles. I’m guessing Harbinger will be one of those, though it definitely wasn’t the most popular Valiant comic when it was around.

Discuss: Only one person can comment on this post and that is the one dude/lady out there who has been waiting for an unlikely Harbinger movie for more than a decade. Dude/lady, Slashfilm is really happy for you, comment away all of your hibernating excitement.