'Memetic': Seth Rogen And 'The Batman' Co-Writer Mattson Tomlin Are Adapting A Comic About A Killer Meme

Seth Rogen is no stranger to being a meme, but now he's on board to develop a movie about a killer meme. Rogen is teaming up with The Batman co-writer Mattson Tomlin to pen the adaptation of Memetic, a horror comic by James Tynion IV that follows a viral sensation that becomes the source of a zombie virus that threatens to destroy humanity. Rogen and Tomlin would pen the Memetic movie adaptation for Lionsgate, which is final negotiations to pick up the horror thriller project.The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Lionsgate is in final negotiations to acquire Boom! Studios' Memetic, a horror comic by James Tynion IV, who recently took over DC's flagship Batman series. The comic follows the a young colorblind man who is alarmed at the emergence of a popular meme known as the Good Time Sloth, which becomes a viral sensation a day before everyone who saw the meme succumbs to a murderous rage.

Here is the synopsis for Memetic via GoodReads:

"A meme is an idea that starts with an individual, and then virally spreads to multiple persons and potentially entire societies. Richard Dawkins suggests a meme's success comes from its effectiveness to the host, but history shows that destructive memes can spread just as rapidly through society. Memetic shows the progression of a weaponized meme that leads to the utter annihilation of the human race within 72 hours. The root of this apocalypse is a single image on the internet, a "meme" in the popular sense. A meme that changes everything."

Rogen and Tomlin, who has become a rising star in Hollywood after getting tapped to co-write The Batman with Matt Reeves, are writing the adaptation. Tomlin seems to have become the point person for comic book adaptation, with Memetic marking his second comic-based project under Point Grey — the writer is also set to pen Amazon's Fear Agent, an adaptation of a Rick Remender comic. The premise seems like the basis of a satire (revenge of the killer memes!) and Rogen's involvement certainly points to a potentially more comedic approach to the story. Tomlin is still fairly untested, but the projects he's been attached to since landing The Batman seem to be of the more serious variety. So it will be interesting to see what tone Rogen and Tomlin land on for this film.

Rogen will produce Memetic along with his Point Grey partners Evan Goldberg and James Weaver, while Boom! Studios' Ross Ritchie and Stephen Christie are also producing. Josh Fagan is shepherding for Point Grey and Meredith Wieck oversees for Lionsgate. Boom!'s Adam Yoelin will executive produce.