Paul WS Anderson helms Buck Rogers flick

Considering this news involves 1) Paul WS Anderson directing again and 2) a beloved comic book hero, you might want to down your coffee/green tea/JD and get a lovely buzz before reading.

Done? Okay. So Paul WS Anderson - yes, the ‘director’ of such 'classics' as Mortal Kombat , Resident Evil and Alien Vs Predator - has signed up to helm a big screen version of Buck Rogers .

Working from a script by Iron Man writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, Anderson will update the tale from the 1920s, in which the titular fighter pilot wakes up in the futureworld of the 25th century and has all kinds of spacey adventures.

The character is acknowledged as key in turning the Great Beyond into an exciting arena for sci-fi stories, and helped boost the Space Race.

This new Buck Rogers is being produced by Paradox Entertainment, who are currently shooting the Conan reboot. And – naturally – 3D is being discussed. Because that’s the in-thing kids are demanding these days. They'll be after 4D next (bring back scratch 'n' sniff, anyone?).

Says Anderson:

“ Buck has already been such a huge influence on action-adventure franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones , so for me it is a thrilling opportunity to be allowed to return to the source, and relaunch such an epic character.”

A number of screen versions of Buck Rogers already exist, with the 1979 TV series (above) and the 1939 serial. You can probably count this new adaptation as a fall-out from the phenomenal success of J. J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot.

Small solace here lies in the fact that Anderson hasn’t written the script (though that won’t stop him fiddling with it). But seeing as Marcum and Holloway are currently also working on an upgrade of the Highlander franchise, this is a sad day for news and movies indeed...

Want Anderson to Buck off?