Live-action series based on Corto Maltese announced by Rainbow Group

Rainbow Group, the animation studio founded by Iginio Straffi (creator of Winx), is developing a live-action TV series based on Hugo Pratt's iconic character Corto Maltese. The project marks a shift from a 2022 attempt involving director Frank Miller and producer Phil Tippett for StudioCanal, which has been abandoned. Straffi, a self-proclaimed fan of Pratt, stated the series is a dream come true and that he waited for the right moment and resources to honor the author. The production will involve Cong SA, the company holding all intellectual property rights to Pratt's works. No release date or cast has been announced, though earlier rumors for the American version mentioned Timothée Chalamet as the sailor. Corto Maltese first appeared in 1967 in "Una ballata del mare salato" and has since become a beloved European graphic novel character, with over thirty volumes published posthumously by various artists. The latest volume, "La linea della vita" by Rubén Pellejero and Enrico Zigoni, will be released on October 22 by Rizzoli Lizard.