The 1980s British sci-fi/action comic Rogue Trooper will be coming to screens in a new animated adaptation helmed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Warcraft). Original publisher 2000 AD today announced that principal photography has been completed on the real-time 3D project has been completed, and revealed the roster of notable talent bringing the characters to life. The feature film is being produced by Rebellion and Liberty Films.
The film is expected to be completed in 2025.
Aneurin Barnard (The Goldfinch, Dunkirk) stars as the Rogue Trooper, a genetically modified super-soldier, alongside Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One), Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk), Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters, Good Luck to You Leo Grande) and Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9, Saltburn).
The talented ensemble cast includes Jemaine Clement (Avatar 2: The Way of Water), Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows), Diane Morgan (Cunk on Earth), Alice Lowe (Black Mirror), Asa Butterfield (Sex Education, Hugo) and Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings).
Synopsis: Rogue Trooper tells the story of 19, a ‘Genetic Infantryman’, who finds himself the sole survivor of an invasion force. Desperate to track down the traitor who sold him and his comrades out, the super soldier is accompanied by three killed-in-action squad mates, whose personalities have been stored in his gun, helmet and rucksack.
Writer-director Jones shared in the announcement, “2000 AD offers a very different flavor of comic action: Political and brutal at times, but always with a Pythonesque twinkle in the eye. Dredd (2012) was a taste of what 2000 AD has to offer, and now we get to show the world another side of the beast. It is a genuine privilege to be given the opportunity to make Rogue Trooper.”
The project was shot at the Rebellion Film Studios in Oxfordshire, U.K., and now imagery and animation will be crafted by Treehouse Digital (The Well). The producers are also working with Epic Games to apply the power of Unreal Engine 5 to their vision for Rogue Trooper. Producer Stuart Fenegan notes that the film is making use of MetaHuman rigs and that Rebellion, Treehouse and Epic are “pioneering and developing a new creative pipeline that will enable independent production of CG animated films.”
The Rogue Trooper film is produced by Jones and his frequent collaborator, Fenegan (Moon, Source Code, Warcraft, Mute), alongside Jason Kingsley (Dredd, School’s Out Forever) and Chris Kingsley (Dredd, School’s Out Forever).
The original comic was created by artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Kingsman) and writer Gerry Finley-Day (Dan Dare) and released by British publishers 2000 AD (Judge Dredd, Halo Jones, Sláine).
Fans can keep tabs on the project by signing up for the film’s newsletter at roguetrooper.com.
[Source: 2000 AD]
