Garth Ennis, the acclaimed creator behind hit adaptations Preacher and The Boys, is about to see another one of his iconic works hit the screen. His gritty comic series Crossed is being adapted into a feature film, with Ennis himself penning the screenplay.
Indie outfit Six Studios has acquired the rights to the script and is preparing to back the movie, aiming for a production budget between $2 million and $3 million, though that figure may rise if top-tier talent comes aboard.
Crossed is set in a world ravaged by a deadly pandemic that transforms the infected into dangerous, homicidal maniacs. Marked by a grotesque, cross-shaped rash on their faces, these afflicted individuals retain their intelligence but succumb to their darkest impulses, creating a nightmarish landscape that evokes the chaos of a zombie apocalypse—but with a disturbingly human twist.
The original 10-issue comic series, which ran from 2008 to 2010, was a brutal, dark exploration of survival in a world gone mad. Its success spurred the creation of over 200 additional issues written by various authors, including legendary Watchmen scribe Alan Moore.
Now, after years of anticipation, Crossed is set to take the leap to the big screen, bringing Ennis’ terrifying vision to life.
Currently, Six Studios is actively searching for the right director to helm the project, with production slated to begin this fall. Producers Carl Choi of Six Studios, Ben Hung of Retro Entertainment, and Ken Levin of Nightsky Productions are leading the charge, having worked closely with Ennis to develop the adaptation. Ennis will serve as an executive producer alongside Six Studios’ Jeff Huang, Carl Amari, and Bill Patterson.
With The Boys becoming one of Amazon’s most successful series and a cultural phenomenon, Ennis has solidified his place as one of the foremost creators of dark, subversive comic book adaptations. The Boys has been praised for its fearless storytelling, spawning multiple spinoffs and drawing in massive viewership, and it is set to conclude with its upcoming fifth season. Likewise, Preacher ran for four acclaimed seasons from 2016 to 2019.
Beyond Crossed, Six Studios is also expanding its portfolio with other high-profile projects, including a TV adaptation of Raymond E. Feist’s The Riftwar Saga and Curse of the Sin Eater, which was recently picked up by Samuel Goldwyn.
As Crossed gears up for production, fans of Ennis’ work are eager to see how this savage and gripping story will translate to film, promising another unforgettable entry in the legacy of Ennis’ groundbreaking comic book adaptations.
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