Columbia Pictures have optioned "The Green Hornet", a 1930's crime-fighting hero, chronicled on radio, television, movie serials and in comic books.The studio will adapt the character's adventures into a new feature film produced by Neal H. Moritz and Original Film, according to Matt Tolmach and Doug Belgrad, presidents of production for Columbia Pictures.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to be developing this world renowned property with the people who brought 'Spider-Man' to the screen," said Moritz. "I can't imagine a studio better equipped or more prepared to handle this kind of material than Sony. With the radio show, television program, comic books, and novels, there is ample source material to bring this classic crime-fighter to life."
"The Green Hornet" debuted January 31, 1936 on radio station WXYZ Detroit, the creation of George W. Trendle and Fran Striker of "The Lone Ranger" fame. In 1940 Universal produced a 15-chapter movie serial.
The radio series, broadcasting until 1952 on the Mutual and NBC Blue networks, followed the adventures of 'Britt Reid', a bored playboy whose life changes when he inherits his father's newspaper 'The Daily Sentinel' and saves the life of 'Kato', a Japanese man with technical and martial-arts skills.
After Reid and Kato witness a brutal crime, Reid becomes a disguised crime-fighter, using two special, non-lethal guns, with one firing 'knock-out gas' and the other producing a 'Hornet's Sting' electric shock.
Following its successful run on radio, "The Green Hornet" ran in several comic books.
In 1966, the character made the jump to the ABC Television network, starring actor Van Williams as the Hornet and catapulting martial artist Bruce Lee as Kato to stardom.
Original Film's Ori Marmur will oversee development of the project on behalf of Moritz's production company. 
