Announced at MIPCom (the annual TV and entertainment market held in Cannes in October), Michael Jai White is onboard to star (alongside Rutger Hauer, Scott Adkins, Joe Flanigan and James Marsters) in a live-action TV series adaptation of the Métal Hurlant Chronicles fantasy comics magazine.

France-based WE Productions, and Panini U.K. Media are behind the sci-fi adventure series which was previously shopped around, with the first 2 seasons (12 episodes for each – or 24 total) have already been ordered to be delivered in Spring 2012 (season 1) and then November 2012 (season 2), but, as of right now, will only be seen in Europe.

Will they travel? I would assume so, given the talent in front of the camera, and how familiar they are the Stateside audiences. But who knows… depends on whether a US-based network is interested enough to pick the series up.

Guillaume Lubrano, whose IMDB credits list only this project, will direct the episodes, which will be in both French and English.

I should note that Métal Hurlant (which literally translates as Howling Metal) is essentially the French originator of what we know as Heavy Metal fantasy comics magazine, here in the west.

A blend of dark fantasy, science fiction and erotica, 2 feature films have been produced based on the comic – in 1981 and in 2000, both animated. Most recently, in 2008, David Fincher was said to be developing an R-rated animated feature based on the work; but it looks like that project may be dead; and this year, Robert Rodriguez expressed his interest in the project at Comic Con in July.

As for what role Michael Jai White will play in the French/UK-produced TV adaptation… no word on that yet.

Any fans of the comic book?