The Spawn movie reboot has a script, but it doesn't have funding yet. Studios are interested, but creator Todd McFarlane has a strict set of conditions this time around. He has voiced his distaste for the 1997 Spawn movie and doesn't want to let the same thing happen again. This time, he wants to be the sole writer and director, while also wanting to serve as a producer on the project. Even with those strict conditions, lots of producers have expressed interest, but McFarlane isn't selling. Yet.

Todd McFarlane recently spoke with SyFy Wire and couldn't avoid being asked about the status of the Spawn reboot. As he revealed recently, he reiterated that the script, at least a rough draft of it, is done and that quite a few producers, ranging from small producers to major studios, have called him about it. However, his unwillingness to budge on his conditions has kept the movie from securing financing so far. Here's what he had to say about it.

"So I'm going, I'm not selling it but if you want to see the rough draft, I'll send it to you. But just so everybody knows, I write, produce, direct, non-negotiable."

It is understandable that studios, especially a major studio, would hesitate with the Untitled Spawn Reboot, given these conditions. Todd McFarlane knows Spawn better than anyone else, but he has never directed a movie before. It is tough to justify giving a man with no directing experience millions of dollars to make a movie, but McFarlane understands that. As he's also said previously, he reiterates in this interview that he expects to be able to shoot the new Spawn movie for around $10 million, which could ease that hesitation a bit.

"I wouldn't ask to be a newbie director on a script that was going to have an eighty million budget for it. Why? Because as a CEO of my own corporation, I wouldn't take that deal. I wouldn't stick out $80 million and go, 'they're going to put a rookie and he's going to basically be in charge of it.' So I've created this tight little one that I keep saying, I think I can shoot it for ten."

Spawn could wind up being a big franchise for the right studio, especially if they really can make it for such a low budget. Todd McFarlane has described the movie as a horror movie, with Spawn being a terrifying presence lurking in the background, similar to Jaws. So this wouldn't be your standard comic book movie affair, and that could be a good thing.

R-rated comic book movies, thanks to Logan and Deadpool, are a big deal right now. Not only that, but well-made horror movies are big with audiences right now as well. Spawn seems to check both of those boxes. Assuming McFarlane can find a producing partner willing to trust him, this is a gamble that could pay off big time. Maybe we'll get some kind of firm announcement at San Diego Comic-Con? We'll know soon enough. For now, you can check out the full interview with Todd McFarlane for yourself below.