Previously, Iron Man writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway were assigned to draft the project. It is unknown whether or not Appelbaum and Nemec, whose upcoming Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is also housed at Paramount, will perform a page one rewrite or if they will update the Marcum and Holloway draft.
The franchise, which began as a black and white comic book series in 1984, rose to tremendous popularity when it became an animated series in 1987. Following the first live-action film in 1990, the series spawned two live-action sequels, a live-action television series, a second animated series and a CGI feature film.