Editing Matt Helm (section)

==Matt Helm in other media==
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2021}}
In 1965, [[Columbia Pictures]] acquired the film rights to eight Matt Helm novels.<ref>p. 191 ''The Film Daily'', Volume 127
Wid's Films and Film Folk Incorporated, 1965</ref> A five-film parody or spoof spy movie series was planned and four were produced, debuting with ''[[The Silencers (film)|The Silencers]]'' (from Hamilton's novels ''The Silencers'' and ''Death of a Citizen'', adapted by acclaimed [[A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film)|''A Streetcar Named Desire'']] screenwriter [[Oscar Saul]]). The series was produced by [[Irving Allen]], former partner of [[James Bond]] film producer [[Albert R. Broccoli]]. They were made to star [[Dean Martin]], who co-produced them with his Meadway-Claude Production company and received a share of the profits. 

The films used the name Matt Helm, his cover identity, plus book titles and some very loose plot elements, but otherwise the series bore no resemblance to the character, atmosphere, or themes of Hamilton's original books, nor to the hard-edged action of Bond.

Martin played the part with his own persona of a fun-loving, easygoing, wisecracking playboy with plenty of references to singing and alcohol consumption. Helm's government agency, unnamed in the novels, was called Intelligence and Counter-Espionage (ICE) in the films. Like the Bond series, the Helm films featured a number of sexy women in each, sometimes referred to as "The Slaygirls". Martin co-starred in the films with popular '60s actresses such as  [[Stella Stevens]], [[Ann-Margret]], [[Sharon Tate]], [[Elke Sommer]], [[Janice Rule]] and [[Tina Louise]].

A 1970s TV series ''[[Matt Helm (TV series)|Matt Helm]],'' which cast [[Tony Franciosa]] as Helm, an ex-spy turned [[private detective]], also departed from the books and was unsuccessful.

In 2002, it was reported that [[DreamWorks Pictures|DreamWorks]] had [[option (films)|optioned]] the entire Helm book series.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} In 2005, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' reported that DreamWorks had signed [[Michael Brandt]] and [[Derek Haas]] to write a screenplay for a high six-figure deal.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} According to the article, the film was to be a contemporary adaptation of the character, but no casting or release information was announced.

[[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] retained the film rights to the Matt Helm series after its 2008 split from DreamWorks.<ref>{{cite web
  |url = https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/spielberg-spying-matt-helm-1118006669/
  |title = Spielberg spying 'Matt Helm'?
  |access-date = 2014-12-09
  |author =  Michael Fleming
  |date = July 29, 2009
  |work = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]
}}</ref> In 2009, it was reported that [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]] would produce a more serious version of the Helm franchise, with ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' saying that the tone of [[Paul Attanasio]]'s script had a similar tone to ''[[The Bourne Identity (2002 film)|The Bourne Identity]]'', and that [[Steven Spielberg]] was considering directing or producing.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fleming |first1=Michael |title=Spielberg spying 'Matt Helm'? |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/spielberg-spying-matt-helm-1118006669/ |access-date=August 11, 2017|work=Variety |date=July 30, 2009}}</ref>

In March 2018, ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'' reported that Tom Shepard had been hired to rewrite the script, with [[Bradley Cooper]] attached to play Helm. Spielberg reportedly would remain involved in some unspecified capacity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/matt-helm-movie-tom-shepherd-writing-bradley-cooper-paramount-1202325873/|title=Bradley Cooper's 'Matt Helm' Movie At Paramount Moves Forward With Scribe Tom Shepherd|last=Hipes|first=Patrick|date=2018-03-09|work=Deadline|access-date=2018-03-09|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Films===
(all starring [[Dean Martin]] as Helm)
#''[[The Silencers (film)|The Silencers]]'' (1966)
#''[[Murderers' Row (film)|Murderers' Row]]'' (1966)
#''[[The Ambushers (film)|The Ambushers]]'' (1967)
#''[[The Wrecking Crew (1968 film)|The Wrecking Crew]]'' (1969)

A fifth film was planned, based upon the novel ''The Ravagers'', but Martin declined the opportunity to play the role again. The title of the film was announced at the end of ''The Wrecking Crew''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hmss.com/otherspies/matthelm/|title=www.hmss.com|website=www.hmss.com}}</ref>

==== Box office performance ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center" width=99%
|- 
! Film
! U.S. release date
! US/Canada [[theatrical rental]]
! class=unsortable | {{nowrap|{{Abbr|Ref(s)|References}}}}
|-
| ''The Silencers''
| {{dts|1966|2|18}}
| $7,350,000
| <ref name=rentals>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=All-Time Film Rental Champs|date=October 15, 1990|pages=M142-184|first=Lawrence|last=Cohn}}</ref>
|-
| ''Murderers' Row''
| {{dts|1966|12|20}}
| $6,350,000
| <ref name=rentals/>
|-
| ''The Ambushers''
| {{dts|1967|12|22}}
| $4,700,000
| <ref name=rentals/>
|-
| ''The Wrecking Crew''
| {{dts|1969|2|5}}
| $2,400,000
| <ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Big Rental Films of 1969|date=January 7, 1970|page=15}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Total
! $20,800,000
! 
|-
|}

====Home media====
''Murderer's Row'' was initially released on [[VHS]] in 1980, with reissues in 1987 and 1993. ''The Ambushers'' was released on VHS in 1987, with a reissue in 1996. ''The Silencers'' and ''The Wrecking Crew'' were both released on VHS only in 1996, with no reissues for either film. The 1996 releases consisted of 2 box sets, one containing ''Murderer's Row'' and ''The Ambushers'', with the other containing ''The Silencers'' and ''The Wrecking Crew''. It is unknown if these releases were sold exclusively as box sets, or if they were also issued individually. A 4-[[DVD]] box set containing the four films was released in [[North America]] in December 2005.

===Television series===
{{Main|Matt Helm (TV series)}}

A television series loosely based upon Hamilton's character was launched by the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC Network]] in 1975. Titled simply ''[[Matt Helm (TV series)|Matt Helm]],'' the series starred [[Anthony Franciosa]] as a retired spy who becomes a [[private detective]]. After being launched by a pilot TV movie, it ran for only 14 episodes.

=== Manga ===
In [[Japan]], Jin Kimura ({{langx|ja|木村仁}}), also known as {{ill|Mitsuhisa Kimura|ja|木村光久}} ({{langx|ja|木村光久|links=no}}) drew {{nihongo|''Matt Helm Series''|マット・ヘルム・シリーズ|Matto Herumu Shirīzu|lead=yes}}, based on the novel, in the magazine ''[[Boy's Life (Japanese magazine)|Boy's Life]]'' ({{langx|ja|ボーイズライフ|links=no}}), November 1968 – March 1969.<ref>[http://shotokimura.web.fc2.com/boyscomic.htm 少年まんが作品] {{in lang|ja}}, {{langx|ja|木村祥刀|links=no}} official website, Retrieved September 30, 2012.</ref>