“Green Hornet and Kato” Movie Lands at Universal Pictures

Seth Rogen and Jay Chou in "The Green Hornet" (2011)

Universal Pictures has teamed with Amasia Entertainment on The Green Hornet and Kato. 

Amasia won the rights to the film after a highly competitive bidding war, with the deal announced on Thursday by Peter Cramer, president of Universal Pictures.

Cramer said in a statement, “The Green Hornet is one of the most iconic and beloved superhero tales ever created, and it has entertained generations of fans in every form of storytelling. We are thrilled to be partnering with Michael, Bradley, and the entire Amasia team to launch an exciting new cinematic world for Britt Reid, Kato, and the Black Beauty, and we can’t wait to share it with global audiences soon.”

Amasia co-founder Michael Helfant said: “Universal will be a great home for our new Green Hornet and Kato. The team at Universal share our passion & enthusiasm for the property and will devote the resources to launch a truly global franchise. And, it’s very cool that Universal was the original distributor of the 1940’s movie serials. Our goal is to make a film that existing fans will love, and new fans will love to discover. With Universal, it feels like we are merging the past and the future, creating a contemporary version of the franchise that is fresh and exciting while respecting its long legacy and history. I can’t wait!”

Co-founder Gallo added: “The team at Universal completely understands the creative direction we want for The Green Hornet brand.  Their sensibilities and relationships with writers, directors, and actors are exceptional. And, the confluence of America and Asia is so important. Who better to partner with than a company that has such a major presence on both continents? We also know that Universal will align with our ‘film geek’ sensibilities and offer up a vision which respects the iconic world of The Green Hornet.”