Vigilante options Ellis's 'Black Summer'

Newly formed production company Vigilante Entertainment has optioned Warren Ellis's Black Summer miniseries for a movie.

According to Variety, Knowing's Ryne Pearson will adapt the story for Vigilante's first project.

Black Summer is the story of the The Seven Guns, a group of physically enhanced vigilantes whose battle against corruption culminates with the assassination of the president of the US.

"Pearson's a novelist by trade, according to the internet," wrote Ellis on his blog. "Also, according to the internet, a man of devout religious conviction. Just as well Summer doesn't contain any of my usual atheist ravings.

"And no, I have no idea if the death of an American President will be retained in the script. It's theirs to play with, no. I imagine I'll be talking to them in the near future."

Vigilante is headed by Hicham Benkirane, former head of audiovisual development for Les Humanoides Associes, a French comic publisher.

Ellis's Red is also currently in pre-production from Summit, with Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren attached.