What if the director behind some of the scariest movies of our time decided to tell a horror story in a completely new way? Michael Chaves, the man who brought us 'The Conjuring: Last Rites,' is diving headfirst into the world of comic books with his new project, 'Corpse Knight.' But here's the twist: it all started with saints.
Yes, you read that right. Several years ago, while prepping to shoot 'The Nun II' in France, Chaves found himself engrossed in the lives of saints, specifically Joan of Arc and her complex relationship with Gilles de Rais. De Rais, a nobleman and Joan's companion-in-arms, harbored a dark secret: he was a serial killer of children. Chaves saw a chilling story in their dynamic – a monster lurking alongside a saint.
"I thought there could be [a] movie in that relationship, wherein a monster was essentially hanging around with a saint," Chaves told The Hollywood Reporter. But he faced a creative roadblock. "I couldn’t quite crack it. And then I thought, ‘What if they are not the center of the story? What if they are these side characters that we lead to?’ That was the key that really allowed it to kick in.”
Combining this idea with another concept – a girl who brings her father back from the dead – 'Corpse Knight' was born. This intense horror fantasy marks Chaves' debut in the comic book realm.
Chaves is collaborating with artist Matthew Roberts, known for co-creating the American frontier horror comic 'Manifest Destiny,' for this six-issue limited series. Robert Kirkman's Skybound and Image Comics will publish it, with the first issue hitting comic shops on April 22nd.
'Corpse Knight' unfolds in Medieval France, centering on a young girl named Foy who suffers the devastating loss of her father. As Foy struggles to survive, a miracle occurs: her father returns from the dead to protect her.
Chaves explains, “Her dad’s murdered. And he miraculously resurrects, we’re not sure how. But our little character has heard stories of Joan of Arc, and she believes that if she gets to Joan, she’ll be able to set things right. It’s a little bit of Wizard of Oz. They set out on their journey and things go horribly wrong.”
Alex Antone, editorial director at Skybound, describes the comic as a tale "about the lengths a parent will go to protect their child," drawing parallels to other supernatural comics published by Image, such as 'King Spawn' and 'The Darkness'.
Chaves, whose 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' grossed nearly half a billion dollars, revealed that his own parental anxieties fueled the story.
“A lot of my movies tell of that relationship,” he says. “I’ve got two kids of my own, and so much of this book is me grappling with my own mortality. The idea that I’m not going to be here at a certain point, and my kids have to figure it out without me, and how terrifying that is.”
He cites Brian K. Vaughan (co-creator of 'Saga') and Mike Mignola (writer-artist of 'Hellboy') as inspirations, alongside the historical fiction of Ken Follett. And, of course, 'Manifest Destiny'. Skybound suggested Roberts as the ideal artist, having previously worked with him on 'Universal Monsters: Creature from The Black Lagoon Lives!' Chaves immediately agreed.
“He’s great at dark adventure stories,” he complimented. “But he’s also good at gruesome horror. I know it sounds simplistic, but that is the meat and potatoes of these comics, seeing this undead monster pull off a bunch of limbs.” He added with a chuckle, “At least that’s why I’m writing this.”
Roberts shared his enthusiasm, stating, “Michael’s script has allowed me to play in a way I’ve not in the past, taking big swings but always feeling grounded by the family bond at the center. That bond is where I find the light, and it makes all the gruesome stuff even more fun to play with.”
For Chaves, creating a comic was a long-held ambition. But he was surprised by the time commitment involved. By the time 'Corpse Knight' is released, he will have directed 'The Nun II,' 'The Conjuring: Last Rites,' and a new horror film slated to begin production this winter.
“In a weird way, I thought I’d be able to just turn this around really quickly,” he says. “When it looked like I was going to be jumping into the Conjuring after the Nun, and I was like, ‘You know what? This will be a great a thing to do in the couple of months of downtime. I’ll just write a comic and make it.’ It turns out, it is quicker to make movies than it is to make comics. If I can tell your readers anything, it’s that comics are incredibly difficult to write and that you should not take it lightly.”
So, what do you think? Can a director known for jump-scare horror successfully translate that skill to the world of comics? And is the blend of saintly lore and gruesome undead action a winning combination? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
