Alien Legion update

“THE DIRTY DOZEN in deep space.”

Hard to believe that pitch hasn’t been made into a movie yet, huh? Well, it’s not for lack of trying.

An adaptation of the 80s Epic Comics series ALIEN LEGION has been kicking around Hollywood for ages, but now it seems to have some traction. According to USA Today, the high-concept sci-fi action tale is in the works with megaproducer Jerry Bruckheimer, and go-to screenwriters Derek Haas and Michael Brandt (WANTED, 3:10 TO YUMA) pecking at the latest script.

As the comic’s creator Carl Potts says, “Bruckheimer’s never done a science-fiction before, so that challenge, I think, is something that would hold his interest. The success they’ve had with blending CGI and live-action characters in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN series could translate easily to an ALIEN LEGION film.”

It would obviously need that pricey kind of computer chicanery — the series (one of my old faves) features a half-serpent alien commander and a whole range of other wildly different intergalactic species. It was also fearless in killing off major characters at any point during its run, giving it a more realistic “Band of Brothers” war story feel.

The series background: “Sometimes a peacekeeping force, sometimes shock troops, the Legion is called upon to intervene in cultural and religious wars, block punitive invasions, put down revolutions and test the intentions of unknown alien races. Anywhere that blood of any color is spilled, where battles rage with spears or turbo-lasers, that’s where you’ll find the Legion. As with all armed forces, the Legion has its elite unit, the toughest of the tough, the creme de la creme, the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel. Enter Force Nomad.”