Joss Whedon's 'Serenity' sequel and other comic books inspired by films

We've seen countless film adaptations of famous comic books - from Richard Donner's seminal 70s Superman series, to Marvel's recent blockbusters and the lesser known adaptations such as 'Road to Perdition' and 'A History of Violence'.

But, while Hollywood has plundered comicdom for inspiration, the relationship works both ways. The latest film to get a graphic makeover is Joss Whedon's Serenity, courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.

The cult TV show about a group of charismatic and loveable war veterans turned space pirates became a cult film in 2005. And while the likelihood of seeing the cast reunite for one more heist is so unlikely it breaks the hearts of dedicated Browncoats the world over, the film is getting a sequel in graphic form. Buffy the Vampire Slayer artist Georges Jeanty will draw the title, which will pick up where the spin-off movie concluded.

And Serenity's not the only comic book adaptation of a film to look out for…

Super Mario Bros 2
Considering total critical car crash that was 1993's Super Mario Bros, it's something of a surprise to see the film get a sequel in any form - let alone that of a comic book.

But the sequel has happened nonetheless, celebrating the film's 20th anniversary by continuing the adventures of Mario, Luigi and Princess Daisy right where the film left off in a digital comic.

Dredd: Underbelly
Fans are still campaigning hard for a sequel to Karl Urban's 2012 sleeper hit, but while we wait to find out if we'll get to see more adventures in Mega-City One, we'll have to return to Judge Dredd's 2D roots.

Written by 2000 AD veteran Arthur Wyatt and illustrated by Henry Flint, Underbelly is published in long-running comic Judge Dredd Megazine and reunites Dredd and Anderson as they continue to uphold the law against all odds.

Prometheus
Though Ridley Scott's Alien prequel was certainly a visual spectacle, the film divided audiences right down the middle due to some unsatisfactory storytelling.

A big screen sequel is still in the works, but it's possible that his vision might be better told in the upcoming comic book that will see the story continue. Details are being kept tightly under wraps, but we'd expect the book to bridge the gap between films one and two. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Stieg Larsson's hugely successful series of novels spawned two film franchises which, in turn, were so popular they spawned a comic book series based on the adventures of morally ambiguous sociopath, Lisbeth Salander.

Written by novelist Denise Mina, with art from Leonardo Manco, it's a faithful and loving adaptation - albeit one that's definitely not suitable for children.

Inception: The Cobol Job / The Big Under
Christopher Nolan's trippy 2010 sci-fi was perfect comic book fodder, so it's no surprise that the film inspired more than one story.

The Cobol Job was a digital prequel released by Warner Bros that told the story of the job that lead Cobb and Arthur to the trouble we find them in at the beginning of the film.

The Big Under, meanwhile, also takes place right before the movie, but focusses on Saito's side of the story, revealing how Cobb et al manage to put him under in the first place.

Both motion comics were featured on the Inception Blu-ray.

Dark Horse is yet to announce a release date for Serenity #1. Watch an interview with Joss Whedon below: