Acclaimed Dark Fantasy Comic Confirms Live-Action Adaptation (From a DCU Star)

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A new fantasy movie is in the works, adapted from a comic book series that isn’t widely known. Interestingly, DC Universe star Viola Davis is involved in the production. Davis has a long history with the DCU, starting with her role as Amanda Waller in the original Suicide Squad under Zack Snyder. She continued playing Waller in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and made appearances in Black Adam and Peacemaker. But this new project is different – it’s not connected to Marvel or DC, and it seems to be a particularly meaningful one for Davis.

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s production company, JuVee Productions, is adapting the Afro-fantasy graphic novel The Untamed: A Sinner’s Prayer into a film, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The comic, a revenge thriller created by Sebastian A. Jones, was self-published. Jones, who has been creating comics in this universe for a decade through his company Stranger Comics, will also write the screenplay and direct the movie.

I’m really excited about this project! While Viola Davis is attached, it’s not a guarantee she’ll be in the movie – the story actually centers around a male character called The Stranger and a young orphan named Niobe. But it’s cool to remember she wrote the foreword for the original Niobe: She is Life graphic novel way back in 2017. She and her husband, Julius Tennon, have said they knew from the start that the world Sebastian Jones created, Asunda, would connect with people everywhere. They really believe audiences are ready for a strong, Black female hero like Niobe – and Jones has definitely crafted her to be just that!

What to Expect From Untamed

If you enjoy classic spaghetti Westerns like the films starring ‘The Man with No Name’ or older samurai movies by Akira Kurosawa – such as Yojimbo, which inspired A Fistful of Dollars – you’ll likely recognize the themes in The Untamed. The story follows a mysterious stranger who arrives in the chaotic town of Oasis with a week to find the seven people who killed his family. He made a dangerous bargain: failure to do so will have terrible consequences. But when he encounters a young orphan named Niobe, he may have a chance to find forgiveness.

The film feels reminiscent of classic Clint Eastwood westerns – think the Dollars Trilogy or Pale Rider – and shares similarities with Akira Kurosawa’s wandering samurai films, but with a supernatural element. Director Jones explained his intention was to craft a visually stunning and emotionally resonant story, combining thrilling action with high stakes and a quest for revenge.

This series already has a loyal following. Instead of going with a large publisher or creator-owned companies like Image Comics, the author used Kickstarter to fund and create the books. So far, he’s raised over $631,000 for his Asunda stories, with the most recent fundraising campaign bringing in more than $100,000. With a dedicated fanbase and support from Viola Davis, this comic adaptation is definitely one to watch.

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2026-02-22 02:10