spawn (1997)

sp-wn is a 1997 american supernatural superhero horror film based on the comic book character of the same name. directed and co-written by mark a.z. dippé, the film stars michael jai white in the t-tle role, and is the first film to feature an african american actor portraying a major comic book superhero. sp-wn depicts the origin story of the t-tle character, beginning with the murder of soldier/-ss-ssin al simmons. he is resurrected as sp-wn, the reluctant, demonic leader of h-ll’s army. he ultimately refuses to lead the army in the war against heaven and turns away from evil. the film co-stars john leguizamo (as the violator, al’s demonic guide and enemy of the film’s antagonist) and nicol williamson (as al’s mentor, cogliostro). martin sheen, theresa randle, d. b. sweeney, melinda clarke, and frank welker (as the voice of malebolgia) also star in the film.

sp-wn was released in the united states on august 1, 1997. it grossed $87 million worldwide against its production budget of $40 million, but received generally negative reviews from critics. the film was williamson’s final film appearance before his death on december 16, 2011.
sp-wn (1997)

1. michael jai white was to appear as jax in mortal kombat: annihilation (1997), but new line wanted him for sp-wn (1997) instead. however, he returned to mortal kombat: legacy (2011) as jax.

2. nicol williamson’s final acting role (as cogliostro).

3. michael jai white holds black belts in the following martial arts: shotokan karate, tae kwon do, okinawan kobudo, goju ryu, tang soo do, wushu, and kyokushin karate.

4. in the sp-wn comic book, sp-wn is killed by a man named chapel. because the character was owned by artist rob liefeld the killer was changed to the character of jessica priest, keeping with the church-themed name.

5. in the comic, cogliostro originally had a beard, but nicol williamson refused to grow a beard or wear one.

6. “al simmons” was the name of a roommate of todd mcfarlane.

7. cagliostro appears in this movie as sp-wn’s mentor. in real life, he was an occultist in the 1700s who traveled europe and egypt and would eventually found occult freemasonry. he was also a noted charlatan who would eventually be imprisoned in the bastille and banished from france, then tried in rome for heresy, magic, conjury, and freemasonry. he died in solitary confinement in the castle of san leo in 1795.

8. in 1997, when sp-wn was released, two sequels were on the cards, sp-wn 2 due for release in 1998 and sp-wn 3: the ultimate battle for release in 1999. neither of these came to fruition and a sequel has been in development h-ll ever since.