‘John Wick’s Chad Stahelski to Adapt ‘Calexit’ Comic into Feature Film

Indie publisher Black Mask Studios’ comic Calexit could be moving to the big screen. Filmmaker Chad Stahelski, known for the John Wick films, is set to produce and potentially direct a feature adaptation of the popular comic, with partners Alex Young and Matteo Pizzolo of 87Eleven Entertainment and Black Mask also on board as producers. The storyline, which debuted in 2017, depicts a future where California becomes a sanctuary state in response to a US President’s executive order to deport all immigrants.

– Filmmaker Chad Stahelski, known for the John Wick movies, is planning to produce and potentially direct a feature adaptation of the comic “Calexit” from Black Mask Studios. The comic is set in a dystopian future where California has declared itself a sanctuary state in response to harsh immigration measures.
– Originally sold to MRC for television in a highly competitive bidding war, the comic is now being redeveloped as a film. The comic has proven popular, going through seven printings and launching several spinoffs.
– Black Mask Studios, co-founded by Matteo Pizzolo who also co-created the Calexit comic, has a library of 100 comics and graphic novels, which often explore modern societal issues in a progressive manner.

The Calexit comic, a provocative piece on the idea of California’s Resistance, may soon be transferred to the silver screen. The creation of independent publisher Black Mask Studios, the comic has been a hit, especially during the first Trump administration, and is currently being adapted for a potential movie.

Chad Stahelski, known for being the creative force behind the John Wick films, is slated to be in charge of producing this potential film. He is considering the possibility of directing the feature as well. Alex Young, an partner of Stahelski’s at 87Eleven Entertainment, will join him in production, along with Matteo Pizzolo, Brett Gurewitz, and Brian Giberson from Black Mask Studios. However, this project is still in the preliminary stages, as it has not been confirmed by any studio or streaming service.

Calexit, co-created by Matteo Pizzolo who is also the co-founder and president of Black Mask Studios, scripted the potential movie. The plot is set in a foreseeable and unsettlingly recognizable future where America’s President issues an order to exile all immigrants. California responds by designating itself a refuge state, resulting in a conflict with the federal government. Centered on Jamil, a courier/smuggler, and Zora, a youthful resistance leader, the plot revolves around their struggle to regain control and flee from Los Angeles, which is under severe military rule.

Calexit was released in 2017, garnering remarkable sales and subsequently launching spinoffs like Calexit: All Systems San Diego and Calexit: Our Last Night in America. Freshly off the press is Calexit: The Battle of Universal City, another timely addition to the captivating series authored by Pizzolo and illustrated by Carlos Granda.

Previously, MRC purchased the rights for Calexit for television production after outbidding five other studios. However, after being initially optioned and subsequently bought, the property and spec were reverted. With the political climate during the Trump administration, the concept is being revisited and adapted for a larger audience.

Amancay Nahuelpan, co-creator of the comic and illustrator of the first volume, is co-producing.

Black Mask has a growing collection of 100 comic books and graphic novels, all uphold a modern and inclusive perspective. Some of the notable creations include Black, where only black individuals have superpowers, and Rogue State, portraying a world where militias have essentially become the rule of law. Black Mask’s 4 Kids Walk into a Bank was recently adapted into a movie by Miramax, PictureStart, and Amazon Studios’ Orion, and features Liam Neeson.

Stahelski, apart from directing and producing the acclaimed Wick series, also produced its recent derivative, Ballerina, and the forthcoming 2022 vampire thriller – Day Shift.