The Steven Spielberg Blackhawk Movie Is Still In The Works, Will Cost $200 Million
A Steven Spielberg superhero movie: it could still happen. Back in 2018, we heard that Spielberg was developing an adaptation of the DC Comics property, "Blackhawk." The story centers on a team of ace World War II pilots known as the Blackhawk Squadron. Spielberg was said to be producing the "Blackhawk" film adaptation with Kristie Macosko Krieger, his "West Side Story" co-producer. There were rumors that he would direct, with his frequent collaborator, David Koepp, writing the script. This was right after "Ready Player One" hit theaters.
Since then, Spielberg has lined up "The Fabelmans," a semi-autobiographical film in the vein of Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma" and Kenneth Branagh's "Belfast," as his next release, while handing off the directorial duties of "Indiana Jones 5" to James Mangold. We've also heard that he is considering making a Western next and that he is resurrecting the character Frank Bullitt, made famous on the big screen by Steve McQueen in 1968. However, it sounds like he's still attached to "Blackhawk," as well.
In an interview with Collider, Koepp recently addressed the development of the "Blackhawk" movie, saying:
"We have a script that's very good and we all think it's very good. There were a lot of management changes at Warner Bros, so I think we've just been kind of waiting for that to settle down, and for them to decide what they want to do with their DC Universe. Obviously I hope he does it or if he doesn't direct it, I hope he produces it, someone great directs. Because it would be a great deal of fun. I'm very fond of the script and I hope it comes together. But again, that's one of those movies that's gonna need $200 million so, trying to get those whales off the beach is a big process."
Into the Prometheus Portal
With movies like "The Batman," DC Films has begun to move away from the shared-universe model of Marvel and into the realm of more standalone stories. Koepp also addressed whether "Blackhawk" would be set in the same universe as films like "Wonder Woman" and "Aquaman." He said:
"It would be hard because it's 1941 or 1940, actually. So it would be a little tricky. As we were developing the script, we said 'Hey, let's make one great movie. It's 1940, that's the way it is.' And if it works out and in the future they decide they want to unite anybody, I'm sure time travel will not be a problem. Because comic books have a great way of figuring that stuff out. 'We need Wonder Woman to be there!' Fine. Well, then she can, because of the 'Prometheus Portal'. I'm like 'what's the Prometheus Portal.' 'You don't know about the Prometheus Portal?'"
The first Wonder Woman movie was set during World War I, and she's still kicking around, so the logistics of how "Blackhawk" might fit in with other DC characters at some indeterminate point later is probably the least of anyone's worries.
Like any in-demand filmmaker, Spielberg always has numerous projects in various stages of development that he is juggling. Koepp's comments come from the perspective of a screenwriter who has worked with Spielberg on "Jurassic Park," "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," "War of the Worlds," and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Their track record together is somewhat hit-or-miss, and Spielberg himself has even acknowledged that "The Lost World" was "an inferior movie to the one before."
While it might be neat to see Spielberg direct a film like "Blackhawk," Koepp's comments also leave it open that he could simply produce the project. At this point, that might be a more likely scenario given the other projects Spielberg is developing. But you never know, any one of those projects could fall through at any time, and maybe in a few years, we'll be talking Steven Spielberg's contribution to the DC Universe.