The Russian Doll sensation Natasha Lyonne, alongside the talented Ana Lily Amirpour, are breathing new life into Joe Hill's gripping horror comic, Basketful of Heads, for the silver screen. According to Deadline, Bluestone Entertainment has secured the rights to adapt this hit comic, originally published by DC's Hill House. Lyonne will not only star in the film but also take on the producer's role, while Amirpour, renowned for her work on A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, will direct Basketful of Heads from her own script.
Written by Hill and brought to vivid life through the illustrations of Leomacs and Reiko Murakami, Basketful of Heads spanned seven issues from October 2019 to May 2020. The narrative unfolds in 1983 on the picturesque yet isolated Brody Island in Maine, where June Branch, a young woman, joins her boyfriend Liam to celebrate his final day as a summer hire at the local police department. However, the celebration takes a dark turn when four inmates escape from the nearby Shawshank Prison, setting the stage for a chain of events that will profoundly alter the lives of all involved.
Seeking refuge in the home of Wade Clausen, the local police chief and avid antique collector, June becomes a target in a harrowing home invasion. She valiantly defends herself with one of Chief Clausen's antique axes, and in the process, decapitates her attacker. June soon discovers a bizarre twist: anyone felled by the axe continues to live on, despite their grievous injuries. Before long, June is confronted with a basketful of heads, each chatting incessantly and pushing her in various directions as the underlying mystery of the series slowly reveals itself.
Amirpour shared her enthusiasm for bringing Basketful of Heads to life, stating, "I'm absolutely thrilled to collaborate with the hilariously wicked and exceptionally talented Natasha Lyonne to adapt this comic into a film. Together, we'll introduce a fresh kind of antihero who is thrust into a bizarre adventure that unleashes something within her, turning her life upside down. It's going to be darkly humorous, surreal, and as bloody as can be."
Lyonne echoed similar sentiments in a concise statement, expressing her delight to work with the innovative filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour on such a beloved intellectual property. She also expressed gratitude to Akiva and Bluestone for bringing this opportunity to Animal for development. Her statement concluded with a simple yet powerful declaration: "This one's going to be a real knockout!"
Currently, Basketful of Heads does not have a set release date.
