Nikolaj Arcel’s Fables adaptation lands Kingsman & X-Men: DOFP screenwriter

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

There hasn't been any movement on the planned film adaptation of the DC and Vertigo series FABLES since director Nikolaj Arcel (A ROYAL AFFAIR) joined the project back in June of 2013. But according to producer David Heyman, a big screen version of the Bill Willingham comics is still in the works, and KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE and X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST scribe Jane Goldman has been hired to write the script.

Jane is working on a draft of Fables as we speak. Nik Arcel [who's still attached to direct] did a draft, and now he’s supervising Jane, who’s doing a draft. Hopefully it’ll come in and we’ll be able to move to the next stage. All these things always take longer than you want. And Fables is not easy, by any means, but I think it’ll be pretty great.

Screenwriter Jeremy Slater was attached to pen FABLES, however there's no word on if he's still involved with the film, or how much of his script Arcel and Goldman will be using for their screenplay.

Here's the synopsis for the first volume of FABLES from Amazon:

When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the "mundys," their name for normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters created their own secret society that they call Fabletown. From their exclusive luxury apartment buildings on Manhattan's Upper West Side, these creatures of legend must fight for their survival in the new world.

FABLES is a fantastic comic that is much better (and darker) than say, INTO THE WOODS or ABC's Once Upon A Time. Although I've only read a few volumes, I'm definitely interested in seeing what Nikolaj Arcel will do with the Eisner Award-winning series.