Comic book movies have spent decades returning to the same marquee heroes time and time again, but some of the medium’s most imaginative stories remain untouched. While Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman continue to dominate Hollywood, countless cult favorites have never been given the chance to make the leap from page to screen. Those forgotten corners of comics often offer filmmakers the greatest creative freedom, allowing them to build something audiences haven’t already seen interpreted multiple times. That’s especially true for directors known for embracing the unusual rather than chasing the safest commercial choice. Every so often, a filmmaker reveals the one comic they’ve quietly hoped to adapt, and the answer says as much about their creative instincts as it does the property itself. One acclaimed horror director has now done exactly that, revealing the long-shot comic book project he would drop everything to make if the opportunity ever presented itself. It isn’t the obvious choice, and that might be why Eli Roth wants to do it.
During an exclusive video interview with ComicBook at San Diego Comic-Con, Ice Cream man director Eli Roth was asked which comic book property he would jump at the chance to direct. The filmmaker revealed that his dream project is Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, adding that he approached DC about adapting the Jack Kirby creation years ago. “I actually told DC years ago that I would do Kamandi. I loved Kamandi. I thought it was such a cool world. It’s completely forgotten about. It’s that kind of crazy, weird Jack Kirby artwork. It’s totally bonkers. It’s like an acid trip with the animals talking,” Roth said. “I loved Kamandi. I thought, that’s a great one to do because nobody knows it. And it’s so weird and fun.”
When ComicBook suggested that DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn might be exactly the kind of filmmaker who would appreciate such an unconventional pitch, Roth laughed off the idea, joking that Gunn already has more than enough on his plate. “James has got his hands full,” Eli said. “He doesn’t need me coming in with like, ‘Hey, what if I pick the weirdest one that, you know, seven people know? That’ll be insanely expensive, but you and I will love it?’”
Created by legendary comic creator Jack Kirby in 1972, Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where intelligent animal civilizations have replaced humanity as Earth’s dominant species. The series follows one of the last fully intelligent humans as he navigates a world ruled by tigers, gorillas, wolves, and lions, blending science fiction, social satire, and Kirby’s unmistakably larger-than-life imagination into one of DC’s most unique titles.
Despite its reputation among comic readers, Kamandi has never received a live-action adaptation, making it one of the publisher’s biggest untapped worlds. Although Kamandi never reached the mainstream popularity of DC’s biggest heroes, the character has quietly remained part of the publisher’s history. DC revisited Kirby’s post-apocalyptic world in 2017 with The Kamandi Challenge, a twelve-issue event series that honored the original comic by rotating creative teams from issue to issue. Kamandi has also appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold and headlined the 2021 animated short DC Showcase: Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!, which introduced the Last Boy on Earth to a new generation of fans.
Roth also seems realistic about why Kamandi has remained on the sidelines. His joke that only “seven people” know the property wasn’t dismissive. It was an acknowledgment that adapting one of Jack Kirby’s most visually ambitious comics would require a blockbuster-sized budget for an IP that lacks the name recognition of Batman, Superman, or even Swamp Thing. That’s a difficult sell, no matter how passionate the filmmaker.
Hollywood has shown that obscurity doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker. James Gunn transformed Guardians of the Galaxy from one of Marvel’s lesser-known teams into a billion-dollar franchise by leaning into what made the characters different instead of trying to make them feel familiar. Under Gunn, DC Studios has also shown a willingness to embrace stranger corners of the publisher’s catalog with projects like Creature Commandos. Kamandi would be an even bigger swing, but Roth’s comments are a reminder that some of comics’ most imaginative worlds are still waiting for the right filmmaker, and the right moment, to finally bring them to the big screen.
While Kamandi may be the comic book adaptation Roth still dreams of making, it wasn’t the only time he reflected on his career during ComicBook’s San Diego Comic-Con interview. The filmmaker also spoke about launching his independent horror label, The Horror Section, why he believes owning original characters has become more important than ever, and shared advice he once received from Quentin Tarantino about measuring a film’s success not by opening weekend, but by whether audiences are still watching it 15 years later. Whether that future includes Kamandi or another unexpected project, Roth’s passion for pursuing unconventional ideas clearly hasn’t changed.
