'Tis the age of superhero mania in Hollywood, so it's only appropriate that a group of filmmakers has decided to build a project around the character widely recognized as the first of the costumed crimefighters.

We're talking about Mandrake the Magician, the mustachioed illusionist created by Lee Falk way back in 1934. Traveling the globe with a group of able-bodied assistants, Mandrake fought supervillains such as The Cobra, The Brass Monkey, and, um, Mandrake's evil twin brother, Derek. (Nope, not making that one up.) According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jonathan Rhys Meyers will star in Mandrake, and Chuck Russell (The Scorpion King) will direct. From the article:

"This is a rare opportunity to reinvent one of the all-time classic comic book characters and create a new kind of hero for international audiences," Russell said.

Now that Mandrake's been cast, we can't wait to see who's chosen to play the world's strongest man -- Mandrake's best bud Lothar, the fez-and-leopard-skin-wearing African prince who gave up the throne to bust heads. Stay close to the phone, Michael Clarke Duncan!

Source: The Hollywood Reporter