Don Pendleton’s The Executioner is heading back to Hollywood. This time, it may finally stick.
Sony Pictures has secured a high-profile package to adapt the long-running action book series. The studio locked down the complicated screen rights, bringing them under one roof for the first time in decades.
Shane Black Eyes Script and Director’s Chair
Shane Black will write the script and is considering directing. He reunites with veteran producer Joel Silver, a frequent collaborator.
Black is co-writing with longtime partners Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry. Silver will produce alongside Angry Films’ Don Murphy and Susan Montford, who spent years untangling the rights.
A Pulp Icon With Massive Reach
Created by Don Pendleton, The Executioner follows Mack Bolan, a sniper turned one-man army. He battles the Mafia, the KGB, terrorists, and cybercriminals across shifting eras.
The series launched in 1969 and ran through 2020. Pendleton died in 1995, but the books continued through licensed writers. At its peak, the franchise released up to two titles per month and ultimately reached 464 books. It sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide and expanded into spin-offs, magazines, and comics.
Decades of False Starts
Hollywood has chased Bolan for years. William Friedkin once developed a version with Sylvester Stallone attached. That project evolved into the 1986 film Cobra. Burt Reynolds and Steve McQueen were also linked to earlier attempts.
In 2014, Shane Salerno set up a version at Warner Bros. with Bradley Cooper set to star and Todd Phillips directing. That effort collapsed due to chain-of-title issues tied to earlier rights holders, including Reynolds and Ray Stark.
A Clean Path Forward
Sony’s deal consolidates the rights, clearing a path that has eluded filmmakers for more than 50 years.
The project also marks a full-circle moment for Silver, who pursued a film version in the early 1990s. Black, a longtime fan of pulp fiction, counts the Bolan novels among his favorites.
A Proven Creative Team
Black and Silver bring a strong track record. Their past collaborations include Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Nice Guys. They also recently worked together on Play Dirty before Silver exited the project.
Bagarozzi and Mondry remain key members of Black’s creative circle. They co-wrote The Nice Guys and The Predator. They also worked on the recent Road House reboot starring Jake Gyllenhaal, which Silver produced.
Producers Stay Busy With Genre Projects
Murphy, a producer on the Transformers franchise, and Montford continue to expand Angry Films’ slate. Their upcoming horror title Faces of Death opens April 10 through IFC and Shudder.
The company is also developing a live-action adaptation of the horror game Poppy Playtime and a new take on Buck Rogers, both in partnership with Legendary.
After decades of stalled attempts, The Executioner may finally be ready to hit the big screen.
