The Green Hornet and Kato movie is in the works over at Universal

Universal Pictures and Amasia Entertainment have joined forces to develop a new film called The Green Hornet and Kato.

The Green Hornet is a masked crime-fighting superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. The story follows the adventures of the Green Hornet aka Britt Reid, publisher of The Daily Sentinel, and his trusty sidekick Kato. Since his radio debut, the character has appeared in film serials in the 1940s, a television show in the 1960s (which co-starred Bruce Lee), multiple comic book series from the 1940s on, and Michel Gondry’s 2011 film which starred Seth Rogen and Jay Chou.

Bradley Gallo and former Marvel Studios president Michael Helfant will produce the film under their Amasia banner.

No word yet on casting, but good to see Kato in the title of the film.

“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,” said Universal president Peter Cramer.

“Universal will be a great home for our new Green Hornet and Kato. The team at Universal share our passion and 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,” said Helfant.

“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,” added Gallo.