Spawn Series Moving Forward

It's been years since the character of Spawn had his own film or TV show, but a new rumor suggests a new Spawn television show is finally happening.

By Ross Bonaime | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

Spawn

Despite the character reaching the peak of his popularity in the 1990s, Todd McFarlane’s character of Spawn has been a fan favorite for decades. Ever since the character received his own film adaptation in 1997, which was the first major comic book superhero portrayed by an African American in a motion picture, fans have been clamoring for more Spawn. While Spawn had his own animated series in the late 90s, the character’s appearances have been sparse at best. There have been rumors for years that Spawn might be coming back with a new television series or film, and now, a new rumor suggests a new series is happening. 

We Got This Covered is reporting from gossip writer Daniel Richtman that a Spawn series at HBO is on track to finally happen. Richtman doesn’t give much information beyond that, and it was already known that multiple Spawn properties are in the works. Richtman doesn’t say at what level of development this new series is in, but at least it’s something close to confirmation that Spawn could be coming back soon.

The last time the character had his own series was Todd McFarlane’s Spawn on HBO, in which the character was voiced by Keith David. The series won two Emmys, but only ran for three seasons. Todd McFarlane has spoken recently about working on two different animated series, one which would be aimed at kids, and another for adults. It’s unclear, however, if the show that Daniel Richtman is talking about is one of these series.

Spawn

Todd McFarlane has also stated that he is working on another film adaptation of Spawn. While the project was announced in 2015, the film has yet to see the light of day, but there have been several updates over the years. Jason Blum’s company Blumhouse is supposedly producing the film, while McFarlane has confirmed that he will direct. Jamie Foxx was reported to play Spawn, but that casting doesn’t seem to have been confirmed. The most recent news came after the release of 2019’s Joker, in which McFarlane said that the popularity of the Joaquin Phoenix film has boosted interest in new R-rated superhero films. 

But since the 1990s, Spawn has faded from popularity, occasionally popping up in projects and boosting interest in the character once more. In 2003, Spawn appeared in the fighting game Soulcaliber II for the Xbox, while last year, Spawn also became a fighter in Mortal Kombat 11. The character has been referenced in shows like Robot Chicken and The Powerpuff Girls, but over the last two decades, Spawn has been little more than a fun reference or cameo.

But Todd McFarlane is correct that R-rated superhero films are coming back in style, which could be good news for Spawn. With Deadpool becoming one of the most popular characters to come out of the X-Men franchise, and DC making films like Joker, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad, it seems like the perfect time for Spawn to resurrect. HBO Max has certainly shown plenty of interest lately in boosting their superhero credibility, so this might finally be Spawn’s time to shine once more.