Max Allan Collins revisits the world he crafted for Road to Perdition by signing to write and direct movies based on the prose novel sequels, Road to Purgatory and Road to Paradise.

Collins will be working with Illinois-based JBM Production Company (Leprechaun) and EMO Films (April Showers).

The prolific crime author wrote Road to Perdition as a graphic novel for DC Comics’ Paradox Press imprint and it was subsequently adapted into a big budget film starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman.  The film, directed by Sam Mendes, won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Cinematography with a nomination for Newman.

The initial story tells of Michael Sullivan, a hitman for he mob, who suddenly becomes the hunted when his son witnesses a murder committed by the son of Sullivan’s boss.

Road to Purgatory will follow the character of Michael Sullivan, Jr., the son of Tom Hanks’ character in the original film, who returns from World War II with a new determination to avenge his murdered father. His quest ultimately leads him to Frank Nitti, whom he is urged to kill on the orders of Al Capone. The second sequel will follow Sullivan’s continued plight.

The original graphic novel, illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner, remains in print as does Road to Perdition: On the Road, collecting the three-part miniseries, illustrated by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Steve Leiber, that covers events concurrent with Perdition.

The novels Road to Purgatory and Road to Paradise were released in 2004 and 2005.

In an extensive interview in the current issue of Write Now!, Collins discussed the origins of the entire project. “Very shortly after I lost the Dick Tracy strip, I was scrambling for gigs, including comics work.  I had a meeting with Andy Helfer – sitting in a hotel lobby, I believe – where he told me that he was planning to do a series of noir graphic novels, and wanted me to do one.  At that time, I was the only comics writer who also had a straight mystery writing career going (not so now), so I was a fairly obvious choice.

“Andy wanted me to do something along the lines of Nathan Heller, but not Heller, something new but in that vein and with that vibe.  I’d been toying with a Prohibition era variation on Lone Wolf and Cub, spliced with the historical story of John and Connor Looney, father-and-son gangsters in Rock Island, Illinois, and informed by my heavy interest in the time at John Woo’s Hong Kong crime melodramas, one of which was another Lone Wolf take, Heroes Shed No Tears.  I didn’t have anything on paper, but I pitched it, anyway.  

“My original title was Gun and Son, which Andy hated.  He despised all my punny, jokey titles (Ms. Tree, mystery, get it?).   What can I say, I grew up on Chester Gould.  What’s good enough for Charles Dickens is good enough for me.

“The only problem came late in the game.  We originally were going to do three volumes of Road.   I’d done the first two 100-page books (it was designed to be published in three smaller volumes, though it never was) when Andy called and said the publishing program was being scrapped.  I had to finish what had been conceived as a 900-page epic in another 100 pages.

“That was tough.   It plays well, but I was not able to do everything I planned to do, which is why I did Road to Perdition 2: On the Road.”

Collins went on to write the prose novelization of the film for Pocket Books, but discovered the producers disliked his embellishments. “I was forced to publish a book that was half the length of what I submitted, and I hope one day to have the real novel published.  (I was hired to write the novelization of the screenplay based on my own graphic novel, and then forbidden to write new dialogue or background for the characters I’d created.).”

The networks are showing remarkable patience as we enter the November sweeps period.  As audiences continue to sample new shows, the ratings from DVR usage continue buoy shows once seen as vulnerable.

NBC’s reviled Kath & Kim was given an order for the back nine episodes, giving the freshman sitcom a full season order. Hammocked between hit shows, this is being given a big chance to prove itself.

Samantha Who?, though, received a “back seven” pickup meaning only 20 episodes of the Monday night sitcom are required.  The network says it has enough episodes from the yet-to-debut Scrubs and According to Jim that they don’t need as many installments from Christina Applegate and company.

On cable, USA Network, has given the go ahead for the second season of Mary McCormack’s In Plain Sight. The series about the Federal Witness Protection Program will shoot sixteen more episodes in and near Albuquerque, NM.

Dante’s Inferno is one hot video game.  It must be considering Universal Pictures won a bidding battle for the unreleased Electronic Arts game according to Variety. The game, due out sometime in 2009, was optioned against a multi-million dollar purchase price, beating out Paramount, New Regency and MGM late last week.

Eric Newman and Marc Abraham of Strike Entertainment will produce the film version in conjunction with EA Entertainment.

While this was the first time EA sold movie rights to a game prior to release, it’s certainly not their first trip to Tinseltown. They have deals in place for The Sims at 20th- Century Fox and producer John Davis plus Mass Effect which is in development with producer Avi Arad. Universal and EA have danced before with Scott Z. Burns writing the adaptation of the Army of Two game.

Dante’s Inferno was written by Dante Alighieri in the early 1300’s and is the influential poem telling of Dante’s imaginary journey through the nine circles of hell.

Writer/Producer Michael Green has signed a two-year deal Universal Media Studios where he is showrunning the NBC midseason series Kings.

"There is no more important new show to the network and the studio than that," UMS president Katherine Pope told The Hollywood Reporter. The series, inspired by the Biblical story of King Saul and King David, depicts a fictional monarchy and stars Christopher Egan and Ian McShane. The show is currently anticipated to take over the Thursday at 10 spot which ER has held for the last 14 years.

Pope and NBC’s drama president Katie O’Connell reportedly challenged Green to come up with his most audacious idea.  He came back with Kings which excited everyone who read the premise. Everyone, that is, except entertainment president Kevin Reilly.  When he left and was replaced by executive vice-president Teri Weinberg, she gave the series the go ahead.

"He is like the Rosetta Stone of writers," Pope said. "He’s one of those guys who is incredibly versatile and shines at whatever genre he does."

"I wanted to tell a story about a world where people are hopeful and believe in their governors even though they are flawed," Green told the trade.

Green, known to readers for his work on Superman/Batman, also was a co-writer on the Green Lantern feature film.  He began his television writing career by working for the first season of HBO’s Sex and the City. His other credits include Everwood, Smallville, and more recently Heroes.

He wrote the lead role of Silas for Deadwood’s McShane and was delighted when the actor accepted.  The first four hours of the series are being directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend), giving the series a consistent look at feel from the outset. The series will also feature Brian Cox and Macaulay Culkin in recurring roles.

CHUD reports that 20th-Century Fox has been quietly putting together a team to produce a remake of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. The original Conquest featured Roddy McDowell as Cesar the first ape to speak and is set chronologically prior to the original Planet. The 2001 remake from Tim Burton was a box office failure (any profits realized came from merchandise and home video).

This version is entitled Genesis: Apes and has been written by the team of Rick Jaffa (The Relic) and Amanda Silver (Eye for an Eye). While the 1973 original was set in the futuristic 1991, this will be a modern day affair.

CHUD writes, “In this version Caesar is the result of a genetic scientist fooling around with the nature of things. When the baby monkey exhibits intelligence and the ability to talk, he takes the cuddly thing home to his wife, who is unable to bear children. Things go surprisingly well for a number of years until Caesar grows up and sees mommy getting attacked. The dutiful son steps in and accidentally kills the attacker.

“Here’s where it takes off. In a scene paralleling Charlton Heston in the cage in the original Planet of the Apes, Caesar ends up in custody at an Ape Conservatory where he and the other apes are abused mercilessly. Caesar finds himself a primate without a world – he’s as smart as humans but will never be one of them (and is in fact tortured by them) and he’s initially rejected by his monkey brethren.”

This is the 40th anniversary of Planet of the Apes and 20th has celebrated with Planet of the Apes: 40 Year Evolution Blu-ray Collection, which hits stores tomorrow. The set includes all five Planet of the Apes films on Blu-ray for the first time, including Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape From the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (an unrated version with eight additional minutes of material), Battle for the Planet of the Apes, and the 1968 original Planet of the Apes.

Blue Beetle writer John Rogers has created and will executive produce Leverage for TNT. The other executive producers include Dean Devlin (Independence Day) and Chris Downey (The King of Queens) for Electric Entertainment.

According to a studio press release, “As a former stand-up comic with a degree in Physics, Rogers uses subtle comedy, high-tech gadgetry, movie-like theatrics and superhero talents in each of his scripts for Leverage. The up-and-coming ensemble cast, led by Academy Award Winner, Timothy Hutton, brings Rogers’ words and storylines to life. This caper show follows a team of thieves, grifters and hackers who act as modern-day Robin Hoods, using their specialized talents to steal from the rich and give back to the regular guys. Much like the thrilling twists and turns found in Blue Beetle and Transformers, Leverage offers high-octane energy with every heist!”

The series will also star Gina Bellman (Jekyll), Christian Kane (Angel), Beth Riesgraf (Alvin and the Chipmunks), Aldis Hodge (Supernatural), and Mark Sheppard (Battlestar Galactica)

Rogers’ writing career began as a Story Editor on Cosby and has included work for Sci Fi Channel’s Eureka, the failed WB pilot adapting WildStorm’s Global Frequency, and the telefilm Red Skies. He was also a screenwriter on Michael Bay’s Transformers and 2004’s Catwoman.

Rogers joined Keith Giffen as co-writer on the latest incarnation of the Blue Beetle and then became sole writer.  The current version, a teenaged Latino, will be seen on the first episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, airing November 14.  Leverage will debut on TNT on December 7 at 10 p.m.