Blackstar (2028 film)
| Blackstar | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Evan Rourke |
| Screenplay by | Nathan Cole Evan Rourke |
| Based on | Blackstar by Daniel Mercer |
| Produced by | Mara Ellison |
| Starring | |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Blackstar is an upcoming American superhero film based on the comic book series of the same name created by Daniel Mercer. Directed by Evan Rourke from a screenplay by Rourke and Nathan Cole, and produced by Mara Ellison, the film stars Callum Reid as Adrian Vale / Blackstar, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, David Jonsson, Dan Stevens, Daisy Edgar-Jones, J. K. Simmons, Jessie Buckley, Brian Tyree Henry and Rory McCann. It is produced by Titan Forge Studios.
The film was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026, with Reid confirmed in the title role. It draws inspiration from the 1997 comic-book storyline Blackstar: City Without Morning, but is not a direct adaptation. Additional principal cast members were announced in October 2026. Principal photography is scheduled to begin on February 15, 2027, in the United Kingdom, with filming expected to take place in Glasgow, Manchester and London.
Blackstar is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on October 6, 2028.
Premise
Eleven years after an astronomical event known as the Black Fall altered the city of Vesper and permanently connected former emergency physician Adrian Vale to a mysterious extradimensional energy called the Void, Vale has learned to live with the effects of the event. When thousands of people disappear from part of the city during a single night, he returns to the site of the Black Fall and discovers evidence suggesting that someone he believed he had lost may still be alive.[1]
Cast
- Callum Reid as Adrian Vale / Blackstar, a former emergency physician who was permanently altered by the Black Fall and became connected to the Void. By the beginning of the film, he has possessed his abilities for more than a decade and has operated as Blackstar for several years, although his existence remains uncertain to much of the public.[1]
- Rebecca Ferguson as Dr. Evelyn Voss, a theoretical physicist and former Black Fall researcher who has spent years investigating the phenomenon responsible for Adrian's transformation. Titan Forge described her as one of the few surviving people who understands the true nature of what happened to him.[1]
- David Jonsson as Detective Isaac Ward, a detective with the Vesper Police Department investigating unexplained disappearances in the months preceding the film's central event. The character is based on a minor figure from the comics but was substantially expanded for the film.[1]
- Dan Stevens as Dr. Silas Vane, the former director of the Vesper Institute for Extradimensional Research and one of the lead scientists who investigated the original Black Fall. In the comics, Vane eventually becomes the Hollow Man, although Titan Forge did not identify the film's version of the character by that name.[1]
- Daisy Edgar-Jones as Mara Vale, Adrian's younger sister, whose disappearance during the Black Fall has affected him for eleven years. In the source material, Mara is presumed dead following the event.[1]
- J. K. Simmons as Dr. Malcolm Vale, Adrian and Mara's father and a scientist who investigated the Black Fall. His relationship with Adrian has deteriorated by the beginning of the film, and he possesses undisclosed information concerning the event.[1]
- Jessie Buckley as Elena Cross, an investigative journalist who has documented unexplained incidents throughout Vesper and believes that many can be traced to the Black Fall.[1]
- Brian Tyree Henry as Commissioner Arthur Kane, the commissioner of the Vesper Police Department, who orders the evacuation and containment of part of the city following the mass disappearances.[1]
- Rory McCann as Father Gabriel Rook, a mysterious figure who operates a shelter in one of Vesper's oldest districts and has knowledge of supernatural events predating Adrian's transformation.[1]
Production
Development
Blackstar is based on the comic-book series of the same name created by Daniel Mercer, which was first published in 1994. The comics follow Adrian Vale, an emergency physician who becomes permanently connected to an extradimensional force called the Void following an astronomical phenomenon known as the Black Fall. The series combines elements of superhero fiction, psychological horror, crime fiction and supernatural fiction.[2]
Titan Forge Studios privately began developing the film more than two years before its public announcement.[1] Evan Rourke was hired to direct, with Mara Ellison producing. Rourke co-wrote the screenplay with Nathan Cole.[3] The film draws heavily from the 1997 storyline Blackstar: City Without Morning, although Rourke said that it would not be a direct adaptation.[2]
Rourke described the project as a grounded supernatural thriller rather than a conventional superhero origin story. The film does not depict Vale initially acquiring his powers and instead begins several years after he has become Blackstar.[2][1] Rourke said that the story would focus on the consequences of Vale's transformation and his reluctance to act as a conventional hero.[2]
The filmmakers developed the film as a standalone story rather than as the first instalment of a planned shared universe. Ellison said in July 2026 that the film was intended to feel complete without relying on sequels or crossovers.[2] In October, Titan Forge reiterated that no sequel or wider Blackstar film universe had been announced.[1]
In December 2026, industry reports claimed that Titan Forge had nevertheless begun preliminary discussions about a potential sequel.[3] The project was described as being in early development and had not received a greenlight. Rourke and Ellison were reportedly discussing possible directions for Adrian Vale's story, while Cole had been asked to compile ideas for a follow-up.[3] No screenplay, production schedule or release date had been established.[3]
According to the reports, the prospective sequel was not intended to alter the ending of the first film or require Blackstar to function as the first part of a larger story.[3] Rourke was reported to have resisted proposals to make the film's ending more explicitly set up a continuation.[3]
The Pale King, an antagonist introduced in Blackstar #47 in 1998, was reportedly among several characters discussed for a possible sequel.[3] In the comics, the Pale King originates from within the Void, in contrast to Silas Vane, whose storyline centres on attempting to understand and control it. The reports cautioned that no story had been selected and that the character's involvement could be abandoned during development.[3]
Casting
Callum Reid was announced as Adrian Vale / Blackstar during Titan Forge Studios' presentation at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026. Reid said during the presentation that he had concealed his involvement with the production for approximately six months.[2]
In August 2026, several entertainment industry insiders reported that Titan Forge had accelerated casting ahead of the planned start of filming. Rebecca Ferguson was reported to have entered negotiations for an undisclosed role, while David Jonsson was reported to have been offered a supporting part.[4] Dan Stevens was reported to be under consideration to portray Dr. Silas Vane, while J. K. Simmons was linked to an unidentified supporting role connected to Adrian's past.[4]
Reports also stated that the studio was testing actresses for a female co-lead identified in casting materials only as "Mara". The role was widely speculated to be Mara Vale, Adrian's younger sister in the comics.[4] Titan Forge did not comment on the reports at the time.
On October 8, 2026, Titan Forge formally announced the film's principal cast. Ferguson was confirmed as Dr. Evelyn Voss, Jonsson as Detective Isaac Ward, Stevens as Dr. Silas Vane, Daisy Edgar-Jones as Mara Vale and Simmons as Dr. Malcolm Vale.[1] The studio also announced three previously unreported cast members: Jessie Buckley as investigative journalist Elena Cross, Brian Tyree Henry as Vesper police commissioner Arthur Kane, and Rory McCann as Father Gabriel Rook.[1]
Rourke described Ward as an audience viewpoint character who begins the film without knowledge of the Void or Blackstar while investigating disappearances across Vesper.[1] He also rejected describing Vane solely as the film's villain, stating that the character believes his actions are justified and that the film was designed so audiences could understand his reasoning.[1]
Edgar-Jones's casting as Mara confirmed that the character would appear in the film despite being presumed dead following the Black Fall. Asked whether Edgar-Jones would appear only in flashback sequences, Rourke said that she would not, but declined to provide further details.[1]
By December 2026, reports stated that several members of the principal cast had signed multi-picture deals, although Titan Forge had not exercised any sequel options.[3]
Design
Early concept art shown during the film's Comic-Con presentation depicted Blackstar wearing a weathered black tactical coat over a fitted protective suit, with areas of the costume appearing damaged or corrupted by the Void.[2] The design retained the character's white eyes from the comics.
Rourke said that Blackstar's appearance was intentionally designed to be intimidating and that the character should initially appear potentially threatening rather than immediately recognisable as a traditional superhero.[2] The white-eye effect was planned to be achieved largely through practical effects rather than being created entirely with computer-generated imagery.[2]
By October 2026, costume fittings and movement rehearsals involving Reid and the Blackstar suit were underway.[1] Rourke confirmed that the costume displayed at Comic-Con had been an early prototype and that several elements had subsequently been redesigned. The final version was expected to retain the long coat, predominantly black colour scheme and white eyes.[1]
Costume testing was reportedly nearing completion by December 2026.[3]
Sets and locations
Production designer Helena Ward is overseeing the construction of Vesper for the film.[1] Significant portions of the fictional city are being built on sound stages and exterior backlots in the United Kingdom rather than being represented entirely through existing locations.[1]
Sets being constructed include the Vesper Institute for Extradimensional Research, St. Orison Hospital, sections of the city's underground transit system and streets within the area sealed after the disappearances.[1]
Location filming is also expected to take place in Glasgow, Manchester and London.[1] Rourke said that the production aimed to present Vesper as a functioning city with its own culture and neighbourhoods rather than as a direct analogue of another fictional comic-book setting.[1]
By December 2026, construction on the production's largest Vesper sets was underway.[3] Reports indicated that the scale of the sets had expanded during pre-production, with some sequences originally expected to rely extensively on digital environments being redesigned around physical builds.[3]
Filming
An early camera test and costume test was conducted before the film's announcement in July 2026. Approximately 55 seconds of footage from the test was screened during the film's Comic-Con presentation.[2]
Principal photography is scheduled to begin on February 15, 2027.[1][3] Filming is expected to continue for approximately five months and conclude in July 2027.[1]
Reid began physical preparation for the role before filming, while costume fittings and movement rehearsals were underway by October 2026.[1]
During pre-production, the scope of several sequences involving the Black Fall, the Void and the evacuation of Vesper reportedly increased compared with earlier versions of the screenplay.[3] The production's approach to the Void was reported to combine full-scale physical sets, miniature photography, practical effects and extensive digital manipulation.[3]
Rourke was also reported to have requested an extended post-production schedule, with the film expected to be substantially picture-locked before the final visual-effects work began.[3] Additional photography was reportedly being incorporated into the production schedule in advance rather than being treated solely as contingency work.[3]
Marketing
Blackstar was officially announced by Titan Forge Studios on July 25, 2026, during the studio's Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con.[2] The announcement followed a fictional emergency broadcast and security-camera footage depicting apparently abandoned streets in Vesper. The footage ended with the film's title and October 6, 2028 release date.[2]
Titan Forge also screened approximately 55 seconds of unfinished footage recorded during an early camera and costume test. It showed Adrian walking through evacuated streets while emergency broadcasts played from abandoned vehicles. A woman's voice called his name before lights illuminated throughout a nearby apartment building, revealing numerous silhouettes standing behind its windows. Adrian's eyes then turned white before the footage ended.[2]
Following the October 2026 casting announcement, Titan Forge stated that no trailer would be released before principal photography began.[1] The studio instead planned to release the first official image of Reid wearing the completed Blackstar costume shortly before filming began in early 2027.[1]
A behind-the-scenes presentation was also planned for San Diego Comic-Con in 2027, by which time principal photography was expected to be nearing completion or recently concluded.[1] Titan Forge had not determined whether footage from the film would be screened during the event.[1]
Release
Blackstar is officially scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on October 6, 2028.[2][1]
In December 2026, reports stated that Titan Forge was reassessing whether the October 2028 date allowed sufficient time for the film's expanded production and post-production requirements.[3] The studio was reportedly considering retaining the October date, moving the film to February or March 2029, or delaying it until the northern summer of 2029.[3] The October 2028 release remained the preferred option, and no alternative date had been reserved.[3]
The reports attributed the possible delay to the scale of the film's practical sets and visual-effects work rather than to concerns over the screenplay.[3] Rourke was reportedly willing to delay the film rather than shorten work on several major sequences, with Titan Forge expected to reassess the release schedule after principal photography had begun.[3]
As of December 2026, Titan Forge had not announced a change to the October 6, 2028 release date.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 "BLACKSTAR Cast Officially Announced as Titan Forge Reveals New Story and Production Details". Titan Forge Studios. October 8, 2026.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 "SDCC 2026: BLACKSTAR Officially Announced for 2028". Titan Forge Studios. July 25, 2026.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 "BLACKSTAR 2 Already in Development? Studio Insiders Claim Titan Forge Is Quietly Planning a Sequel as 2028 Release Date Comes Into Question". Titan Forge Studios. December 4, 2026.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "BLACKSTAR Reportedly Circling Several New Cast Members Ahead of 2027 Production". Titan Forge Studios. August 18, 2026.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help)