Campanelli to helm feature film Human Fly

The film is based on the true story of a Montreal stuntman who inspired a Marvel character.

Montreal’s Human Fly International has signed director Stephen Campanelli to helm its feature film project, The Human Fly.

The film is based on the true story of a masked stuntman who rode to fame on the back of a DC-8 jet, becoming the star of his own best-selling Marvel Comic. The character is slated to return to the comic world in a new series published by IPI Comics, which will launch at Comic-Con in San Diego in July.

The feature’s script is written by Tony Babinski, and will be produced by Babinski and Alan Brewer (who is repped by Robert Newman at WME).

Campanelli’s directing credits include Momentum, Rio Heat, Badland Wives, the award-winning Indian Horse and coming-of-age comedy Drinkwater. His career began as a camera operator for director Clint Eastwood, progressing to second unit director and assistant director on films like The Mule, A Star is Born, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Million Dollar Baby.

“The world I experienced reading Tony’s script is one I’m very familiar with,” explains Campanelli, who grew up in Montreal in the 1970s, where much of the film is set.

He adds: “there’s a reality to the time and space this story takes place in that injects something really fresh and comic into the superhero genre. I’m looking forward to putting it on screen.”