The iconic British action figure Action Man is heading to the big screen, with a live-action film officially in development from Working Title and toy giant Hasbro.
According to Variety, the project is being developed by the U.K.-based studio behind films including Love Actually and Darkest Hour, in partnership with Hasbro, which owns the Action Man brand.
The screenplay is being written by Simon Hatt, a British filmmaker and former Marvel executive producer whose credits include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, alongside Anthony Sellitti, a co-writer on Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97.
The film will be produced by Jeremy Latcham, another former Marvel executive whose producing credits include Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Action Man was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1966 by Palitoy.
The figure was originally based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe, which debuted in the United States in 1964, but later evolved into a distinctly British character with uniforms and accessories inspired by the British armed forces.
The toy returned to shelves in 1993 with an updated design and again in 2006, when Hasbro released reproduction figures to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary.
Action Man also inspired an animated series, although it was released only on home video in the U.K. due to broadcasting restrictions on children’s advertising.
Unlike Action Man, the G.I. Joe franchise has already received several live-action adaptations.
The series began with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), followed by G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) and the 2021 spin-off Snake Eyes.
While the first two films performed well commercially, Snake Eyes underperformed at the global box office.
A fourth G.I. Joe film, G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant, has reportedly stalled in development.
No casting, director or release date for the Action Man film has been announced.
