8 Aug – "Stranger Things" director Rebecca Thomas has been recruited by 20th Century Fox to helm a big screen adaption of James Wan's comic series, "Malignant Man". The adaption, retitled as "Malignant" for its movie version, will also have its creator James Wan producing it alongside Boom! Studio's Ross Richie and Stephen Christy, as revealed by The Hollywood Reporter. Wan, who has been busy directing the upcoming "Aquaman" as well as "The Conjuring" franchise, co-wrote "Malignant Man" with Michael Alan Nelson back in 2011, with artwork from Piotr Kowalski, as a limited series comic book. It follows Alan Gates, a patient with terminal cancer left counting his days, until he discovers that his tumor is not deadly but actually a mysterious alien parasite. In addition to the new lease on life, Gates also gains extraordinary powers and must use it to fight against evil while learning the truth of his past. The movie version will have its script written by "Lights Out" co-producer, Zak Olkewicz.
After her 2012's feature debut "Electrick Children", Thomas has been given the directing role of the live-action retelling of "The Little Mermaid" as well as the film adaption of John Green's "Looking for Alaska". She is also one of only two directors, other than "Finding Nemo" director Andrew Stanton, to join Shawn Levy and the Duffer Brothers behind the camera for the season two of Netflix's "Stranger Things". "Malignant" was previously attached to "San Andreas" director Brad Peyton, who has since left to helm Dwayne Johnsons-starrer, "Rampage".