Gerard Way: 'I Don't Want Comic Book Film To Be New Harry Potter'

My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way is in talks to turn his comic book series The Umbrella Academy into a movie.

The singer, who plans on scoring the film, has already spoken to screenwriters and directors about adapting the popular series – although none have officially been assigned to the project.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Way said he had met with Universal to discuss the project, which he hoped would be released by 2011.

“I said going into the meetings that this film has to be really progressive. It can't simply be the next opportunity for a video game. In the way that 'The Dark Knight' made its own rules, it needs to have its own energy,” Way said.

The singer, who is eyeing Alfonso Cuaron as a possible director, said he didn't want the film to become the new Harry Potter.

“The boy in this story is not a boy. He's 60 years old. He is an assassin. There's so much about him that is extremely violent. So that's why I don't want this to look like Harry Potter,” he said.

“It's not pretty and nice and safe. It has funny moments, but it's a dark humor. Everything about the movie has to interlock properly.”

As previously reported on Gigwise, Way is due to release a six-issue second series to the comic book, entitled Dallas, next month.

Dark Horse publishers will release the first issue on November 26th.