His Wanted broke box office records when it was released, and the upcoming Kick-Ass is one of the most buzzed-about movies of next year already. In addition, his Marvel Comics work is being used as the basis for Iron Man, Incredible Hulk and The Avengers. Is there anything that can stand in the way of Mark Millar taking over cinema in the same way that he's taken over comic books? Apparently, the answer is yes, if potential trouble surrounding a movie version of his latest book comes to fruition.According to /Film, any potential movie adaptation of Millar's War Heroes - an Iraq War satire produced with artist Tony Harris that's occasionally confused as to whether it condones or condemns the gung-ho, right-wing mindset behind the war - is being hindered by a 2006 comic called Grunts, that has a similar set-up as Millar's latest:
Millar describes War Heroes as "Full Metal Jacket meets The X-Men". The series is "set a couple of years in the future. John McCain has just won the election and the war in the Gulf is getting bigger, so they give the troops superpower pills. That gets all the young American kids signing up to fight the Iraqis." Grunts is described as "24 meets the X-Men" with "Tom Clancy on speed" military style action. The pitch: "During World War II, an American squad encounters a German superhuman assault squad and starts a Eugenics Race that carries into present day!"
While earlier similarities to existing works didn't hinder Wanted, Grunts is also in active development as a movie right now - and that may be enough to scare off anyone interested in a new Millar movie. Well, until the box office returns for Kick-Ass come in, I'm sure. Exclusive: Mark Millar's War Heroes vs. Grunts [/Film]