Our friends over at First Showing were able to get their hands on and offer up the first script review for Roundtable by Brian K. Vaughan.

For those unfamiliar with the project, it takes the well-known King Arthur world and creates a new story from it. Basically, after helping to keep things civil so long ago, the wizard Merlin now lives alone and does nothing all day. When informed that a dangerous old foe has returned, Merlin must gather up a new batch of knights to fight for England. Unfortunately, being modern day, the dangerous and skilled knights of old are no more — the knights of modern day are as follows: a scientist, an out-of-shape former athlete, an extremely rich jackass, and naturally… Michael Caine. Yes, the actual Michael Caine was written in as a character.

Judging by the script review, the movie has all sorts of promise. This was assumed right away just because it was Vaughan writing it, but now there’s confirmation that the characters and the story are all very solid, very funny and everything works really well.

The story also will allow for the potential of a brilliant cast, suggesting a comedic actor like Jack Black or Seth Rogen for the role of Merlin (though I’d rather someone a little older and rugged in this role — like Brendan Gleeson or Ray Winstone maybe, though I haven’t read the script) and many big name UK stars for the roles of the knights, maybe an always-welcomed teaming of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost or a little Ricky Gervais and certainly some Michael Caine.

Keep in mind, at this point no one has been cast or even rumored. Everything so far is speculation, suggestion, or just wishful thinking. So long as everything goes well, we should hopefully start hearing some rumblings soon, but that will be then.

My vote is for Roundtable to be put on the fastest of fast tracks. Someone like Vaughan’s unparalleled brilliance matched with a perfect cast in an original flick could be a whole lot of successful fun. With no promises as to how the the cold, cruel hand of Hollywood will treat other sacred Brian K. Vaughan titles being given the movie treatment (Y: The Last Man, Runaways) it will be good to have a straight-to-theaters project that will likely stay true as it was written.