Chariot movie adaptation lands Top Gun: Maverick director

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

After winning a feature pitch package auction for Chariot, Warner Bros. has set Top Gun: Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski to direct. From Tron: Legacy to Oblivion, Kosinski has shown he has a strong visual eye. With Top Gun: Maverick slated to propel the filmmaker once again to the top of Hollywood, there's no better time for him to strap into something bold yet below-the-radar.

Chariot is a graphic novel property recently published by Artists, Writers and Artisans (AWA). Julian Meiojas will pen the script, whose credits include scripts for Jack Ryan and The Flash. Written by comic book creator and screenwriter Bryan Edward Hill (American Carnage, Bitter Root), illustrations by Priscilla Petraites (Rat Queens), and edited by AWA Chief Creative Officer Axel Alonso, Chariot was pitched to buyers as a "synth-wave sci-fi thriller with strong roles for two A-list actors."

Per Deadline, here's the pitch for Chariot:

The Chariot was a Cold War-era secret government project to provide its star agent with a weapon unlike any other in the form of a state-of-the-art sports car. It sank into the ocean decades ago, the agent along with it. A petty criminal looking to reform his life has stumbled upon the Chariot, and he’s about to find out that the agent’s consciousness is still controlling it.

Whoa! That sounds pretty cool, no? It sounds like a Bond car and Kitt from Knight Rider were frozen away from the world like Captain America, only to reemerge years later and be ready for action. I could get down with that, especially with Petraites' stunning art serving as inspiration.

After suffering several delays due to the pandemic, Top Gun: Maverick theatrical release date is now November 19, 2021. The highly-anticipated sequel should serve as a great shot in the arm for how Kosinski's skills behind the camera have evolved throughout the years.