Geoff Johns: Hitman TV Series is Something DC is ‘Discussing Now’

A Hitman TV series may be on the horizon. The bulk of attention from general audiences is centered on the big screen DC films as part of Warner Bros. Pictures’ unofficially titled DC Extended Universe, but the studio’s television arm, Warner Bros. TV, has plenty of DC Comics-based shows on the air. And now, even more shows are in development thanks to them announcing plans to launch a dedicated streaming service.

The CW currently houses most of Warner Bros. TV’s DC-based content as part of their ever-expanding Arrowverse – Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Vixen, and Constantine, as well as iZombie and Black Lightning – with FOX distributing merely two shows: Gotham and Lucifer. AMC, at the moment, just has Preacher, while Syfy is getting in on the game later this year with Krypton. In addition to all of that, there are still plans for more live-action DC TV shows, such as Watchmen on HBO and Titans on DC’s digital service. And it looks like there are discussions to add one more program to that list.

DC Comics chief creative officer Geoff Johns and Arrowverse and Supergirl creator Greg Berlanti were asked about a potential Hitman TV series in a Q&A session at the comic publisher’s DC in D.C. event this weekend. Johns was open to the idea by saying “anything’s possible” and that it’s actually something he and Berlanti are “discussing now.”

For those that don’t know, DC’s Hitman – not to be confused with Square Enix’s Hitman video game series – is about a Gulf War veteran named name Thomas “Tommy” Monaghan, who becomes a superpowered contract killer after being bitten by an alien parasite. After he develops abilities such as x-ray vision and moderate telepathy, Monaghan puts his skills to use by operating as a hitman out of the Cauldron, an Irish district in the lower part of Gotham City.

The character was created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea, and he made his debut in The Demon Annual #2 before being receiving his own self-titled series. However, unlike many characters in the DC Universe, Monaghan almost never refers to himself as a hitman – or the Hitman – throughout his comic book series.

Considering the type of characters DC Comics has been focused on developing on the small screen, a Hitman TV series is decidedly different from the bunch – but that may be a good thing. It’s possible that DC wants a more serious show, one that’s still entrenched in the DC Universe, that can resemble the success Netflix and Marvel TV are enjoying with The Punisher. While the Marvel series is much more violent than a Hitman show would be, they contain similar themes and may appeal to the same crowds.