We missed two Brett Ratner bullets last year when the director was briefly attached to remake Escape from New York and he was said to be on the studio shortlist for The Wolf Man. Thankfully none of them came to fruition but sadly, studio’s will still develop projects for “The Rat”, the definition of the studio hack.

Variety say Ratner is being eyed to direct an adaptation of the Valiant Comics property Harbringer after Paramount Pictures have acquired the rights to the series.

Created by Jim Shooter, the “Harbinger” comicbook series became a hit when published in the 1990s. Harbingers are humans with powers that can be unlocked by “omega” harbingers. Teenager Pete Stanchek finds himself on a collision course with an older “omega” who used his gifts to become an evil industrialist.

The project described in some part as being a “Young Blade Runner” came about when Brett Ratner told Paramount that he was looking to start a superhero franchise from scratch, presumably a little aggrieved at how little input he had on the direction of X-Men 3: The Last Stand a few years back.

Paramount are looking for writers right now and it’s expected to be in development for some time as Ratner is aiming to direct his Hugh Hefner biopic Playboy, first.

Never heard of Harbinger but I think I will probably speak for us all when I say…. Better this than a property we care about.