It Had Seven Printings and Spin-Offs — So Why Are Fans Unsure About the Film Version of 'Calexit'?

I’ve always had a soft spot for comic book adaptations that don’t come from the big superhero universes. Don’t get me wrong — I’m still counting the days until The Boys returns, and I’m genuinely annoyed that The Sandman was cut short. Not every comic needs a mask or a multiverse, right?

So when I saw the news that Calexit, a bold indie comic from Black Mask Studios, was being developed as a feature film, I was intrigued. Especially with John Wick director Chad Stahelski attached.

Set in a near-future U.S., Calexit follows a courier and a resistance fighter trying to escape occupied L.A. after California breaks from federal control. First published in 2017, the comic became a hit — with seven printings, spin-offs, and even a TV bidding war.

But now, as it gears up for a film version, the fan response isn’t exactly celebratory. Curious, I went looking to see what people were actually saying.

Over on Reddit, reactions are… mixed, to put it gently.

"Feel like he's up to 6 or so films that he's supposedly directing at this point, but with not a lot of movement happening on any of them," pointed out Jefferystar94.

"They’ve already made this — it’s called One Battle After Another," wryly commented Emergency-Tonight-42.

"Much like Garland's Civil War, even if it's good, gotta say, I'm really not in the mood to see this movie," added Lit_geek.

"Yet hasn’t made anything outside the JW universe in his 10 year directing career," chimed in with Impressive-Potato.

Still, there's something compelling about this pairing. A sharp, politically charged indie comic. A director known for balletic brutality. It might just work — or it might end up as another stylish project stuck in development limbo.