Jake Gyllenhaal To Star & Produce Adaptation Of Robert Kirkman’s Apocalyptic ‘Oblivion Song’ Comic

While Jake Gyllenhaal may not be that into bathing, the actor has found plenty of ways to keep himself busy during the pandemic. Mainly acting. At the same time, he’s been oddly unprolific of late (“Spider-Man: Far from Home” in 2019 is his last major film appearance), which changes with a vengeance rather soon. Netflix‘s “The Guilty” arrives in the fall, “Ambulance” from director Michael Bay comes soon thereafter. There’s a multitude of films shot, in the can or getting prepped for release (“Snow Blind” opposite Vanessa Kirby and two mini-series appearances in “Francis and the Godfather” and “The Son“). Add, starring and producing in an adaptation of Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s graphic novel “Oblivion Song.”

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Today, New Republic Pictures, led by veteran producers Brian Oliver and Bradley Fischer, has announced they had acquired Kirkman and De Felici’s graphic novel Oblivion Song, producing alongside Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker of Nine Stories as well as Kirkman, David Alpert, Bryan Furst and Sean Furst of Skybound Entertainment.

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Released by Image Comics in 2018, the comic book series swiftly became a hit. “Oblivion Song” chronicles Nathan Cole, a man who makes daily trips to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion, a part of Philadelphia lost a decade ago along with 300,000 of its citizens.

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“We couldn’t be more excited to find such great partners in New Republic and Nine Stories. Both companies have a tremendous reputation for premium storytelling at the highest level, and we can’t wait to see Jake bring this character to life on the big screen. We are so fortunate to have assembled a team that is as passionate about this comic as we are,” said Kirkman in a statement.

This is the first project announced under the first-look deal with New Republic and Nine Stories. New Republic has since announced first-look deals with Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton’s Dirty Films, Francis Lawrence’s about:blank, and Jude Law’s Riff Raff Entertainment.

Gyllenhaal’s “The Guilty” from director Antoine Fuqua hits Netflix October 1; his Michael Bay-directed Universal movie “Ambulance” arrives February 18, 2022.