Canada’s Lark Nabs Television Rights to ‘Descender,’ ‘Ascender’ Graphic Novel Series (EXCLUSIVE)

Canada’s Lark Productions has acquired the exclusive television rights to Image Comics’ sci-fi graphic novel series “Descender,” and its sequel “Ascender,” created by New York Times bestselling author Jeff Lemire (“Black Hammer”) and artist Dustin Nguyen (“Batman: Streets of Gotham”).

“Fortunate Son” producer Lark, which is part of NBCUniversal International Studios, will develop and produce the series.

“Descender” was launched in 2015 and 32 graphic novels were published through 2018. It follows Tim-21, a companion robot who is thrust into a hostile cosmos when he discovers that he’s the missing link between a fleet of life-annihilating constructs and modern robotics. In 2016, Nguyen won the Eisner for best painter/multi-media artist for the series.

“Ascender” was launched in 2019. Set 10 years after the events of “Descender,” “Ascender” imagines a magical world sans machines and follows a young girl who embarks on an epic quest to find Tim-21.

Lemire said, “The world of “Descender” and “Ascender” just keeps growing, and Dustin and I are very happy to be working with Lark to bring it to televisions screens as well. Their passion for the comics and devotion to telling the story the right way has us both very excited.”

“It’s definitely going to be an entirely new adventure to see our characters come to life onscreen and share them with a whole new audience,” Nguyen said.

“‘Descender’ [and] ‘Ascender’ is a beautifully crafted saga, examining the tolls of technology on nature and humanity, which feels very timely for television,” added Erin Haskett, president of Lark Productions.

Haskett, Lemire and Nguyen will serve as executive producers on the project.

In 2015, Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired rights for a feature film adaptation of “Descender.”