Josh Braun and Roger Kass, executive producers of director David Cronenberg's, Toronto-shot "A History of Violence", have sold the big screen rights for graphic novel "Button Man: The Killing Game" to Paramount-owned DreamWorks SKG.Braun and Kass will produce the film under the supervision of DreamWorks' Mark Sourian.
Written by John Wagner of "Judge Dredd" fame, and illustrated by Arthur Ranson, the creator-owned "Button Man" debuted in the British comic "Toxic, then published in "2000 AD", appearing in 12 weekly installments.
In 1994, the best of "Button Man" was published in a graphic novel by Kitchen Sink Press. Two sequels were subsequently released in 2001.
Premise of the story focuses on cold-blooded 'Harry Exton', an ex-mercenary soldier living in rural England, who is introduced to 'the Game', a gladiatorial contest where hired killers known as 'button men' are pitted against each other by faceless, bet-wagering millionaires known as the 'voices'.
Exton quickly acquires a deadly rep as an efficient and ruthless player, but the only pension plan awaiting him is his own death and he looks to quit the game.
Braun and Kass continue to develop the project and are currently shopping the property to screenwriters.
