Last week, Warner Bros. announced an ambitious programming slate for Blue Ribbon Content, its new digital initiative. Among the announcements was a live action digital series based on the Static comic book series that was created by Dwyane McDuffie and Robert L. Washington with artist John Paul Leon.
According to Flickering Myth, Warner Bros. may be looking at Jaden Smith for the title role in “Static Shock.” Like the Static comic book series and the subsequent “Static Shock” animated series, the new show will focus on Virgil Hawkins, a teenager who gains electromagnetic based superpowers during an event called “The Big Bang.” As Static, Virgil is one of the only superheroes to emerge from The Big Bang as he confronts the newly created supervillains while attempting to maintain his normal life as a 16 year old boy.
Smith is the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith who has starred in The Karate Kid remake and its upcoming sequel. Jaden Smith has also appeared opposite his father in The Pursuit of Happiness and After Earth.
Related: Warner Bros. Digital Plans ‘Static Shock’ Live Action Series
While Smith is the right age to play Static, he has yet to prove himself as a bankable star. After Earth was a huge flop and Smith has never headlined a film or TV project by himself. If the “Static Shock” rumors are true, this could be Smith’s biggest test to date.
Reginald Hudlin.(Django Unchained) and Milestone Media co-founder Denys Cowan are shepherding the “Static Shock” live action series for Blue Ribbon Content. The original Static comic book was one of the flagship titles of Milestone Media’s imprint at DC Comics in 1993.
If “Static Shock” goes forward as a digital series, it will likely run on Machinima.
