Michael Jai White Uncertain About Todd McFarlane’s Spawn Reboot Plans

Michael Jai White is the only actor to play Spawn in live action to date, and he’s not entirely sure about Todd McFarlane’s plans for a reboot. The actor, who played the hellspawn antihero in the 1997 film, spoke with CBR and revealed that he’s heard some odd things about McFarlane’s plan for the film.

“[McFarlane has] been trying to get a new movie up and going for 23 years so I don’t know,” White said with a laugh. “The last time I saw him, he was telling me about his idea of Spawn being ethereal fog that you don’t see, like Jaws, and he strikes and you never see him and I’m like ‘Okay, good luck with that!’ Personally, I wish him well, that would be a major investment.”

McFarlane has been pushing for a new live action film for a while, and Jason Blum confirmed in May that the film was in active development, though the pandemic put things on a pause. McFarlane, who is set to direct in his first time behind the camera, said in August that the animated adaptation is also moving forward.

White said of the idea of McFarlane directing the new film, “I don’t know Todd to be a director at all. It’s kind of like Stan Lee: He created the character but he doesn’t direct him and I guess somebody would have to pony up a lot of money for Todd McFarlane to direct for his first time directing this movie idea that he has. I’ve heard about Jamie Foxx starring in it and wish them well. I don’t know, maybe it continues because this is what people like to hear from Todd McFarlane. He can get attention by promising another Spawn; I don’t get it.”