Background: Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's epic apocalyptic comic series -- centered on the lone man who survives a mysterious incident that kills every mammal on Earth with a Y chromosome -- has sparked Hollywood interest for awhile. The project seemed to be heating up when the "Disturbia" team of director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter Carl Ellsworth were developing the material for New Line, with Shia LaBeouf mentioned as a possible star. Although Caruso believed the series was worthy of a trilogy, New Line reportedly preferred a single film. Eventually Caruso left the project and went on to direct failed franchise hopeful "I Am Number Four."

Current status: New Line is still working on it, most recently hiring writing partners Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia ("Jericho," "Human Target") to start from scratch on a script. Although it's arguably better suited to a "Walking Dead"-style TV series, Vaughan and Guerra's smart, funny and exciting source material will hopefully prove too alluring to linger in development hell forever.

- Geoff Berkshire