Deadline is reporting that John Wick director Chad Stahelski has picked up the rights to Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger book series with plans to develop a TV series adaptation of the bio-terrorism thriller novels.
“I really loved reading the Joe Ledger series. It’s an all-time epic action series with intrigue, suspense and such engaging characters,” states Stahelski. “As I read it, I could see the immediate cinematic potential. I’m excited to be working with Jonathan to turn it into a TV series.”
Launching in 2009 with Patient Zero – and since spanning ten novels as well as various short stories and audio adventures – the series follows Joe Ledger, a former Army Ranger and police detective who is recruited by the government to launch a task force, the Department of Military Sciences, to face off against terriorists using bio-weapons that unleash various zombies, mutants, vampires and other creatures.
“Chad’s career, both behind and in front of the camera, pretty much defines the kinds of things I love to watch,” added Mayberry. “The Matrix, The Crow, John Wick – and so many others are solidly in my wheelhouse. And we’re both lifelong martial artists as well as professional pop-culture geeks,” Maberry said. “When we sat down for the first time to discuss Joe Ledger, it was clear that he not only read the books but deeply and empathetically understood the characters. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone in Hollywood whose mind runs along tracks this similar to my own. He’s also a visionary and a hell of a lot of fun. This is what they mean when they talk about ‘Hollywood magic’.”
Stahelski is producing the Joe Ledger adaptation through his 87Eleven production company, which also recently announced a John Wick TV spinoff series Under the High Table which Stahelski will direct, with Keanu Reeves producing.