Netflix has been anything but shy with their original programming efforts. As recently announced, Spawn will be debuting on Netflix in July 2017.
The property of Image Comics, Spawn was a supernatural superhero movie first adapted in live-action in 1997, long before the superhero genre reached its current plateau. The movie was on VHS and rated-R, because Spawn, not unlike Marvel’s Deadpool, isn’t your typical hero.
Michael Jai White stars as Al Simmons, a corrupt assassin betrayed and murdered by his evil government supervisor Jason Wynn (Martin Sheen). Sent to Hell, Simmons is offered a chance to return to earth if he will become a “Hellspawn,” one of many super-powered creatures assigned to encourage living souls along the path to damnation.
Simmons hastily agrees to this deal and becomes a twisted, scarred version of his former self, living in a dingy alleyway, with no hope of regaining his life. Despite the best efforts of his mentor, a demonic clown (John Leguizamo), Spawn performs mostly heroic acts, though he is not above seeking revenge on Wynn.
Spawn was a comic with something of a cult following. It’s been 20 years since it was adapted for live-action, and Netflix is the one to bring it back to life for viewers.
