The iconic graphic novel Corto Maltese is finally getting a new live-action adaptation as Variety reports Italy’s Rainbow Group – the company led by Iginio Straffi, creator of the hit Winx Club animation franchise, is set to tackle a live-action series.
It will be based on Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese graphic novels and follow the title character, a swashbuckling sea captain whose adventures take him around the world. Pratt’s graphic novel, 1967’s Corto Maltese: A Ballad of the Salty Sea, is his best-known and introduced fans to the roguish, chain-smoking sailor the world. The Corto Maltese books have sold over 11 million copies worldwide and are translated and distributed in 35 countries.
“This project is a dream come true. I am a huge fan of Hugo Pratt and have always wanted to be able to work on Corto Maltese,” Rainbow founder and CEO Straffi said in a statement. “I have been waiting patiently for the right time and the proper artistic resources to pay homage to one of the most important Italian authors in the world. Finally, this day has arrived, and I am very excited; it is really a great honor for me.”
Added Patrizia Zanotti, a colorist who has been working artistically alongside Pratt since 1979 and is now head of Cong SA: “I am convinced that thanks to the insights and passionate professionalism of Iginio Straffi, this new way of telling Corto Maltese will help expand the imagination of new generations by conveying the core values of the character created by Hugo Pratt: adventure, freedom, curiosity, friendship and respect for different cultures.”
