Jamie Foxx cast as comic book anti-hero Spawn

May 30 (UPI) -- Jamie Foxx will portray comic book anti-hero Spawn in a new film written and directed by the character's creator, Todd McFarlane.

McFarlane is also producing the the feature with Jason Blum of Blumhouse productions, Variety reported.

Spawn, who first appeared in his own series published by Image Comics in 1992, is a former member of a CIA black ops team. After he is murdered, Spawn makes a deal to become a Hellspawn warrior who possesses increased strength, speed and the ability to teleport, shape-shift and heal.

Actor Michael Jai White first portrayed the character in a 1997 film from New Line Cinema. An HBO animated series also debuted in 1997 that ran for three seasons.

"A few years back I flew out to Arizona to meet the man behind one of the most incredible comic book characters in the universe... Todd McFarlane. He was taken aback when I told him with the enthusiasm of a young child that more than anything I wanted to put my name in the hat to embody his beloved character Spawn," Foxx said in a statement. "I told him no one would work harder than me if given the opportunity... well... the opportunity is here!! I'm humbled and ready to transform... and to top things off the young Jason Blum is lending his brilliance to the project! Time to be great!!!! #Spawn."

McFarlane said during an interview with Deadline that his Spawn film with not be an origin story, that he plans on making a trilogy and that the character will be a man of few words.

"If you want to see something creepy and powerful where you go, just what the hell was that? I'm not going to explain how Spawn does what he does; he is just going to do it. We'll eventually do some of the background if we make a trilogy, but that's not this first movie. The first movie is just saying, do you believe? And if you believe than that's good because I'm hoping to take you for a long ride with this franchise," McFarlane said.