WIRE Buzz: Nicolas Winding Refn resurrects Maniac Cop; Avengers: Damage Control VR trailer; more

Maniac Cop is going back on patrol. The 1988 cult slasher flick is being turned into a TV series for HBO with Nicolas Winding Refn at the helm. According to Variety, the writer/director of The Neon Demon will serve as showrunner and co-direct the series alongside John Hyams. Set in Los Angeles, the series is described as a wide range of characters on all sides of the law who are forced to contend with a mysterious, vengeful, possibly supernatural cop on a terrifying killing streak. 

It's not the first project to come to mind when you think 'reboot,' but Refn has a true affinity for low-budget, grindhouse fare. He also co-authored The Act of Seeing with Alan Jones, a massive curation of poster art celebrating the best of sleazeball cinema. It turns out, Maniac Cop is a property he and Hyams have talked about "reimagining" for several years. 

"As we continued to work on the material, we found ourselves wanting to explore the world we were creating in greater depth," said Refn, ever the optimist. "This show will be an unadulterated, action-packed horror odyssey. Given the current state of the world, though, Maniac Cop will also be a strong commentary on the decline of civilization."

In the original Maniac Cop, a policeman returns from the dead to enact revenge on those who wronged him. It became an underground favorite, and starred a young Bruce Campbell, (with a cameo by Sam Raimi), and spawned two sequels, Maniac Cop 2 in 1990, and Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence in 1992. 

The series will be a joint production between HBO, which will air the series in the U.S., and Canal Plus, which will air it in France. 

Next up, the Avengers VR experience is ready to serve up some Damage Control. 

The new story, aptly titled Avengers: Damage Control, is set to premiere at select The Void VR locations in the US and Canada on October 18, according to Entertainment Weekly. The story centers on the MCU's best and brightest, Shuri (Letitia Wright), recruiting a team to try out her new gear in the field. Things don't go as planned, of course, and Ultron shows up to steal the Wakandan/Stark hybrid tech. Fortunately, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), the Wasp (Evangeline Lily), along with some other clutch Avengers are around to help save the day.

"We’re always looking for new stories and corners of the universe for our characters to explore," said MCU architect Kevin Feige. "Now, after more than a decade of amazing support, we are excited to give fans the same opportunity: to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Expanding how people can experience the MCU is something we’re always trying to do, and in Avengers: Damage Control, we wanted to give fans the chance to suit up alongside some of their favorite heroes for the first time ever."

You can find out if Avengers: Damage Control is available anywhere near where you live at The Void VR's website here. 

Finally, DC is subjecting Jason Todd to the wrath (or mercy) of fans. For the second time in history. 

For context: the last episode of the DC Universe series Titans ended on a cliffhanger. Well, more accurately, Jason Todd (Curran Walters) was dropped off a building before the show cut to black. Now, whether or not he lives or dies will be left up to fans who vote in an official poll set up by DC's streaming service. 

This is a not-so-subtle nod to 1988's A Death in the Family, which had fans vote on Jason Todd's fate after getting mercilessly beaten and blown up by The Joker. DC set up a pair of 900 numbers where fans could make their voices heard, and after just over 10,000 votes, was voted to die by a margin of 72. 

If you want to take part in deciding Jason Todd's fate — again — you can cast your vote at the poll here. 

(h/t Polygon)