Guy Ritchie has signed on to direct his first superhero movie, a big-screen translation of the DC Comics anti-hero “Lobo”.

Production on “Lobo” begins early next year. The character originated in 1983 in “Omega Men,” written by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen. Lobo has had several comic incarnations.

In the film, he is a seven-foot tall, blue-skinned, indestructible and heavily muscled anti-hero who drives a pimped out motorcycle, and lands on Earth in search of four fugitives who are bent on wreaking havoc. Lobo teams with a small town teenaged girl to stop the creatures.

Warner Bros. is aiming for a PG-13 rating. The film will be strong on visual effects, and Ritchie will bring the irreverent, gruff tone of past films like “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”

Doug Liman was previously attached to direct the project, though Silver, who has been developing the project for the last 10 years, was looking to reunite with Ritchie, with whom he just wrapped “Sherlock Holmes.”

Ritchie, is also attached to direct “The Gamekeeper,” based on the Virgin Comics title.

With all the attention on Disney’s Marvel deal, the Ritchie deals gives WB yet another production start through its DC Comics banner. Silver and Goldsman are producers on “The Losers,” while Goldsman is a producer on “Jonah Hex.” WB recently set Ryan Reynolds to play the title character in the Martin Campbell-directed “Green Lantern.” DC Comics is a WB-owned entity, and Gregory Noveck steers the film adaptations for DC.