Michael Uslan's Comic Book Movies, LLC. and Japan's Itochu Corporation have agreed to work together to develop motion picture franchises based on original properties created by the late Shotaro Ishinomori.  First on the docket is a live action version of Ishinomori's Cyborg 009, which is projected to start production in 2006 with the goal of a theatrical release in 2008.

Aside from Osamu Tezuka, Shotaro Ishinomori, who died in 1998, was perhaps the most important creator from manga's first postwar generation. In addition to Cyborg 009 Ishinomori created other classic properties including Kamen Rider, Kikaider and Skull Man along with Secret Task Force Goranger (the first sentai series--the model for Power Rangers and all the rest).  Tokyopop has published Ishinomori's Cyborg 009 manga in the U.S. and Columbia Tristar released the most recent anime version of the property.

Michael Uslan, who has been a producer on all the Batman films (and Constantine as well), is well known as a key Hollywood producer of comic book-based films.  His partner in Comic Book Movies, LLC is financier M. Jonathan Roberts.