It looks like one of the big studios, Warner Bros., is digging in unlikely places for the next action-adventure hero. We’re hearing now that the studio is going to be making an action-adventure film with none other than Leonardo Da Vinci as the hero.
The Hollywood Reporter has the news that WB is planning to feature Da Vinci as an action hero in an untitled project. The studio picked up a treatment entitled Leonardo Da Vinci and the Soldiers of Forever from Prime Universe producer, Adrian Askarieh, who came up with the idea and wrote the treatment himself.
Askarieh is teaming up with Vertigo’s Roy Lee and Doug Davison for the project. Both Vertigo and Prime Universe have a history with WB, with Askarieh producing a Johnny Quest movie for the studio and Vertigo’s Lee working on The Departed, which snagged the studio some Oscars, including Best Picture.
Although most people know Da Vinci as a painter – whose notable works include “The Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper” – he was also an architect, inventor, engineer and a mathematician, amongst many other things (just check out his Wikipedia page!). This project is said to be a reimagining of Da Vinci’s life, by placing him in “a secret society who falls headlong into a supernatural adventure that pits the man against Biblical demons in a story involving secret codes, lost civilizations, hidden fortresses and fallen angels.”
THR describes it as a cross between National Treasure and Raiders of the Lost Ark, with a doze of Clash of the Titans mixed in. Sounds about right to me.
Leonardo Da Vinci... an action hero?
There’s no director or writer for the project yet, but a search for the latter is already underway. I wouldn’t be surprised if they go for someone with experience in this type of film (it certainly would be the smart way to go), maybe even Lawrence Kasdan or Jim Kouf, who worked on the Indiana Jones and National Treasure franchises, respectively.
This Da Vinci pic just adds to a growing list of period projects that are getting fantastical spins. Ever since the success of Sherlock Holmes earlier this year, studios have been eager to jump on the bandwagon with projects like The Three Musketeers (there’s three different versions in the works) and recently King Arthur,which has Holmes director Guy Ritchie attached.
I have to admit that the idea of this Da Vinci pic seemed very odd to me when I first read the details on it, but thinking about it more and more, it could make for a pretty interesting and rather cool film. I’m just curious who they will cast as Da Vinci, as it needs to be someone with a lot of presence and maybe even charm. I don’t suppose they could get Sherlock himself, Robert Downey Jr., on-board? Wishful thinking, I suppose…
Do you like the idea of this new take on the life of Leonardo Da Vinci? Who could you see in the key role?
More from Screen Rant on this project as news comes out.
Source: THR
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This sounds really, really dumb. You can bet they'll make him a womanizer in the movie too. Ugh.
It sounds interesting .
Casting is key though.
“bet they'll make him a womanizer in the movie too”
Uh… why?
Eh could go either way. It would be weird in a way seeing someone like him beating the crap out of the bad guys. Liam Neeson=Da Vinci hahaha.
What's he going to do, draw them to death?
Its one thing to rewrite a fictional character, ie; Van Helsing, but this was a real person. History teachers are blowing their brains out at the thought of children learning complete garbage about DaVinci from this.
I see what you're seeing, but it worked with Inglourious Basterds, no? Rewriting history?
Anyone remember the episode of The Tick animated series called Leonardo Da Vinci and his Time Travelling Commandos? This is idea reminds of that episode, haha.
Why not, I say do it!
Sounds like it'll be in the same spirit as Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, if I had to guess. I'd like it if they made it humorous and self-parodying. That'd make it work for me.
Inglorious Basterds was more of an alternate universe kind of thing. The only character in that movie that actually existed was Hitler, and I personally feel like Basterds has one of the best, most accurate onscreen portrayals of Hitler, regardless of the ending.
But this movie would essentially be throwing out everything we know about Da Vinci in an attempt to turn him into a renaissance Indiana Jones. I still think it could work, but I agree with what Mike's saying.
I think this is a genius idea for a very funny and entertaining movie that will hopefully be done right!
For some reason i actually like this. Funny if it became the new hollywood fad, like remakes, reboots, board games and now re-imagining historical figures. If Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter gets made into a movie maybe it will be. This could be fun if it doesn't take itself to seriously.
odd, but potentially good. Da Vinci was a great inventor. perhaps the movie will capitalize on his intellect and ingenuity rather than just making him a bad ass. itll probably be like the new Sherlock Holmes, which is awesome I might add.
I thought the plethora of remakes was bad. Now we get a bad ass Da Vinci. Let's go all out and get Liam Neeson to play him.
LOL!
This whole idea and this thread are hilarious!
I would be sickened at the thought of this normally, but I must admit the new Sherlock Holmes was friggin cool. (And I detest re-inventions of historical figures)
So, in the vein of absurdity and kicking ass, Im open to more weirdness – using Robert Downey's Sherlock as the barometer.
It really depends on the direction that they wish to take this…
Scenario #1 – The Teenage Love Triangle:
Leonardo Da Vinci (or as everyone calls him “Leo-D”), while a young apprentice under artist/secrect ninja assassin Andrea di Cione, falls in love with the only Goth chick in Florence, Lisa Moaner. The problem is that Lisa wears a “purity ring” given to her by the local Florence thug Big Jim Slade. Big Jim tries to beat him up, but Leo-D invents new and creative ways to escape the clutches of Big Jim. Leo-D urges his master to train him in the ways of the ninja so as to beat Big Jim in “Mortal Kombat” (theme music in the background), but instead, Andrea makes him paint stuff. In the end, Leo-D knows that if he defeats Big Jim in a paint-off, he'll win Lisa's heart (and by default, the chance to bypass the purity ring rules by virtue of the “backdoor”)…
Scenario #2 – The Action Hero:
Leonardo Da Vinci (played by Vin Diesel, beard and all) invents various contraptions to aid him in all of his battles against the powers of darkness, Nazis, and overweight Right-Wing radio talk show hosts who will stop at nothing to convince the world that Leonardo is the Antichrist hell-bent on killing grandma and eating babies. Leonardo uses his knowledge of human anatomy to develop the “Vulcan Death Grip” & “5 Finger Death Punch”, as well as his keen hand/eye coordination to make spectacular jumps over his enemies while riding contraptions made of wood, paper, deerskin and urine. In the end, Leonardo wins the girl, a Lady from the streets of Milan trying to atone for her colorful past with the stage name “Moaning Lisa”, as well as defeating all of his enemies.
This can be good. It'll give an interesting twist as to how and why he came up with so many weird designs for back then (like his helicopter design, the bat wings glider, he even designed a car type object)… This man was way ahead of his time, And this could be a really great movie if done right.
It'll be like Assassin's Creed 2 except Leo would be the main character instead of just the inventor of gadgets
It's assumed he “batted for the other side”.
Well, a toy company has already beaten them to it:
http://images.travelpod.com/users/eatdessertfir…
Well, a toy company has already beaten them to it:
http://images.travelpod.com/users/eatdessertfir…