Hollywood Superlawyer Skip Brittenham Pens Graphic Novel; Joe Roth to Produce Film Adaptation

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One of Hollywood’s most respected and feared lawyers is unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the comic book nerd underneath.

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Skip Brittenham, considered by many as one of the top deal attorneys to the stars (Eddie Murphy, Harvey Weinstein and Harrison Ford are just a few his clients), has partnered with comic artist Brian Haberlin to create a graphic novel titled Anomaly that will be published by the duo’s newly-created transmedia company Anomaly Productions. This being Hollywood, the book is also in development as a film adaptation by Alice in Wonderland producer Joe Roth.

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Brittenham has long been a comic book lover, and his dealmaking also underscores a love of animation. He was involved in the sale of Pixar to Disney, served on the board of both Pixar and DreamWorks Animation, and works with Illumination Entertainment, whose latest movie is The Lorax. His love for popular art combined with an interest in media led him to begin developing the graphic novel several years ago and assembling a team to move the idea forward.

Brittenham wrote the story with Haberlin, who co-created the comic character Witchblade and for two years acted as editor-in-chief of Todd McFarlane Productions, where he also drew McFarlane’s Spawn comic. Haberlin and Geirrod Van Dyke supply the art for Anomaly.

The graphic novel will be released in October as a 370-page, lushly painted hardcover, which the makers claim will be the longest original graphic novel ever published. There will also be a tablet app narrated by top sci-fi and video game actors, plus an augmented reality app for iOS and Android, something that is starting to infiltrate the publishing and comic worlds and involves interactive 3D and holographic technology.

The story of Anomaly is set 2717, where humans have colonized the galaxy and one corporation plunders the resources of alien planets. A group of explorers arrive on a planet for a diplomatic mission but are drawn into a larger conflict. Brittenham and Haberlin worked with professors in philosophy, religion and science to make the world as fully-realized as possible.

Despite Anomaly having several other projects in the works, Hollywood execs and actors need not worry. Brittenham has no plans to leave lawyering behind.

Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com

Twitter: @Borys_Kit