Jonathan Rhys Meyers is Mandrake

Ever since Spider-Man reignited the fondness for comic book adaptations, the studios have been constantly hunting for new sources.

But even though there are loads of new titles popping up every year, what of comic series that were published years ago? Even they are getting a bite of the cinematic apple.

Take Mandrake, the tale of an extreme escape artist and magician who is also a crafty international spy. Jonathan Rhys Myers, fresh from sleeping with every woman in Tudor times as Henry VIII, will don the cape and ‘stache to play the lead.

Scorpion King director Chuck Russell will handle the megaphoning for the new movie. "This is a rare opportunity to reinvent one of the all-time classic comic book characters and create a new kind of hero for international audiences," Russell told The Hollywood Reporter.

He plans to start lensing early next year.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.