Screen Rant » daredevil

Ryan Reynolds: ‘Deadpool’ Movie Just Like The Comics

Rob Keyes — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:51:27 +0000

An X-Men film by Fox that’s just like the comics, you say? Nawwww…

Within a week of the financially (and not so much critically) successful debut of X-Men Origins: Wolverine at the beginning of May, it was officially announced that the long-speculated Deadpool solo movie would in fact be happening.

Before you go any further, you should know that this article isn’t holding back on spoilers from the Wolverine movie.

Normally, this news would have been awesome for all, except it isn’t because of what they did with the character in the Wolverine origin movie, which, let’s just say, didn’t please quite a few fans of the comics.

Ryan Reynolds, the absolute perfect casting choice for the role, played the part of Wade Wilson extremely well – but beyond his control, the folks behind X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie thought it’d be a good thing to deviate from the comics and make him the big bad villain for the final act of the movie. While that itself wasn’t really an issue, they went crazy with the character: Giving him multiple powers from other mutants that Weapon X had been capturing in the story.

Deadpool had his two main abilities in the form of healing and teleportation (in the comics, he has the mutant power of healing and a device that allows him to teleport) but he also strangely had the ability to fire lasers from his eyes (Cyclops’ optic blast power) as well as Adamantium swords that come out from his arms to rival Wolverine’s claws.

At the end of the film, Deadpool is beheaded by Wolverine – but that doesn’t kill the guy. After the credits, there were multiple little bonus endings and one of them featured Wade Wilson still alive, and thus, we have a spinoff for him.

HitFix caught up to the Canadian actor at a press event for his new movie, The Proposal, and asked him about the project. Reynolds said:

“Well, I’m intimately involved with it. We’re just trying to break a story right now and figure out who the villain is going to be and all that stuff. But, it’s going to be just like the comic books. I’m gonna have a messed up face and you may see some flashbacks of Wade earlier in his life, but primarily what you see is what you get in the comics and that’s the goal. And there is no better place to draw material from then the comics which are incredible.”

I wonder if that villain has anything to do with the report last week about Katee Sackhoff researching Typhoid Mary by collecting comics featuring the character. In the Marvel comic books, Typhoid Mary is involved in stories with both Deadpool and Daredevil and that would be a neat idea to tie all the movies together even more. Later, I’ll discuss more on the characters and bridging the films together.

Not only is Reynolds the perfect dude to play the “Merc with a Mouth” for his obvious physical presence and witty humor in all of his movies, but he’s also very knowledgeable of the comics and truly wants to make a film based strictly on them.

You can tell from the many press events leading up to the release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine that Reynolds wasn’t exactly 100% in support of the character’s treatment in the movie. He was surely ecstatic that the character was finally getting into the films and that he was playing him, but when the asked about specifics in regards to the powers, his appearance and what not, Reynolds professionally promoted the movie without being negative about any of it but he was sure hesitant on some things.

He handled it well by saying things like what we saw in the Wolverine story weren’t Deadpool but the precursor to what eventually does become Deadpool. That was a smart thing to say and a good way to quell the fears of the character not sporting his trademark outfit and having powers he shouldn’t… let alone, the mouth being sewn shut (which I still think had to do with the simple reason that Reynolds’ busy film schedule didn’t allow him the proper screen time to develop his character more and by sewing his mouth, the final act could be played mostly by a stunt actor).

On top of that, in multiple interviews he continued to say that he’d love to do a Deadpool film lifted straight from the comics and you can tell from his reactions to many questions regarding his role in Wolverine that he was guarded about what happens to him in that film… The good news is that he will finally be getting his own film as Deadpool and better yet, it sounds like it just may pay tribute to his proper Marvel Comics incarnation.

At least, we hope it does.

Click to continue “Ryan Reynolds: ‘Deadpool’ Movie Just Like The Comics”

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Katee “Starbuck” Sackhoff As Typhoid Mary In Daredevil Reboot?

Heath McKnight — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:29:19 +0000

As you may already know, Fox and Marvel want to reboot both the Fantastic Four and Daredevil and it looks like a certain “Starbuck” may be angling to play none other than Typhoid Mary!

Recently, Katee Sackhoff (”Starbuck” on Battlestar Galactica) was seen at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles purchasing as many comics featuring Typhoid Mary as possible. Now of course there’s no guarantee that she’ll be playing the pyrokinetic villain, or is even being considered, but it’s a darn good bet she wants to play her!

Other actors, actresses and filmmakers have been seen buying a lot of comics which always leads to speculation of their involvement. For instance, last September we reported that Eva Longoria was seen walking out of Marvel Studios offices with some Avengers comics in her hand, and it was speculated that she would be playing Wasp in The Avengers movie. Of course she denied it and not much has been seen or heard about it since. Could it happen? Maybe, but The Avengers is still a few years out so other than Iron Man and Thor, no other casting announcements have been made.

When David S. Goyer was seen at a comic shop a few years back buying a lot of Batman comics, the speculation that he was working on Batman Begins was of course dead on.

So what do you think? Should Katee get the part of Typhoid Mary? I wouldn’t mind it: she’s smart, a great actress, and very beautiful. (Learn more about Typhoid Mary here.) Though I liked the first Daredevil (I’m ducking out of the line of fire), I wouldn’t mind seeing a reboot, especially with Katee Sackhoff as a sexy villain!

Source: Golden Apple’s blog, Typhoid Mary art by Alex Maleev

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‘Hitman’ Director Sets His Sights on Daredevil

Kofi Outlaw — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:09:46 +0000

Xavier Gens, the director of 2007’s Hitman adaptation, has his sights set on the Daredevil reboot, which has been a pretty active rumor in the last year, ever since Frank Miller and Jason Statham pitched their hats in the Daredevil ring during last year’s San Diego Comic Con.

Gens recently let his own passion for Daredevil be known during a Q&A with the Facebook group, “Marvel Movies!” (Who knew Facebook had other practical purposes besides wasting time?)

Here is a slimmed-down version of the Marvel Movies! interview with Xavier Gens (I tried to only give you the sweet bits). Please also note that Gens is foreign and his English is not the best:

MM: Being that we’re doing this interview for my Marvel Movies! Group you had to know this question was going to come next. The Superhero genre has been the hottest ticket since 1998 consistently producing blockbusters year after year. The genre also comes with the baggage of the fans… There are so many projects in the works…Are there any movies in this genre you’d like to tackle within the Marvel Universe?

XG: I really love the Marvel universe, one of my favorite is Daredevil. I really love also the Punisher and I don’t understand why they made so many bad movies on that character.

MM: Funny thing about Daredevil is the theatrical version which wasn’t taken so well…and then the Directors cut which gained quite a bit of praise from the fans. Personally I thought MSJ did a good job with what he had…I personally just didn’t think Affleck was a good fit for the role. If given the chance what direction would you like to take Daredevil? Should this franchise be R rated like the directors cut???

XG: If I have to made a Daredevil movie, I will take a completely different direction. My vision of the character is much more a drama. There will be a 1st part in the child hood of Matt Murdock and the universe of Hell kitchen. Something in the universe of the first Rocky Balboa. Is the story of a poor family of hell kitchen, the father is a loser who made some boxing match, the mother is sick and she died. The father have to make the education of is son alone. He became a outlaw, he made fight to win money and one day he is killed by the mobs.
Alone Matt murdock go to an orphanage and is there were he got is accident. And there is a long reducation because he became blind and he have to learn a new sens. With a very realistic point of view. And he became better and better and he made lawyer study.

For me it’s important to get the origin of the character like in the Richard Donner superman. We saw him became slowly a super hero but i think it’s important to take time and stay realistic.

MM: There’s been plenty of names thrown around by fans for the lead should the franchise be restarted. Jason Statham has made his interest well known. Vin Diesel was supposedly up for the part before Affleck got it. Is there any actors in particular that you think would fit the role? Also any idea of villains you’d like to see?

XG: For Daredevil I think Sam Wortington could be very great and intense for this character. For the vilain it’s depênd of the story.

MM: It does seem the Fox has loosened up a bit on the reigns with Wolverine after some initial worries, but after your experience with Fox on Hitman…do you feel you’ll get the cooperation you need to give us the vision you have for Daredevil?

XG: It’s depend of the communication, I think it’s very important to let the director make his own vision of the character, not making a studio movie. Look the Dark Knight it’s totally the vision of Nolan.

Well, it seems as though Xavier Gens has his head in the right place in regards to how to view the character. In the full interview he also makes it VERY clear that the version of Hitman released in theaters was not at all his cut, but rather Fox’s re-cut version of the film, which (according to Gens) bared little resemblance to the version he originally turned in (apparently the studio even re-scored the film, removing all of the music by the game’s composer that Gens had included. Ouch).

Hearing Gens exonerate himself from the debacle that was Hitman is reassuring. It also lends him some credit (with me at least) for being able to handle a Daredevil film.

Another good snipit of the interview with Marvel Movies! were the fan-submitted questions about how Gens would approach Daredevil:

Stacy Korn: What is the most important characteristic of Daredevil/Matt Murdock to drive the movie?

XG: The desire of Justice, and wild Justice… Lonelyness.

Dylan Michel: How would you reinterpret the Ben Affleck version so that it was more true to the feel of the comics? Who would you cast ideally? Would the costume stay similar, since that was one of the cooler parts of the first one?

XG: I will change everything, I think it’s important to reinvent everything, much realistic and modern.
With a first part like The wrestler or Rocky Balboa, in a super heros universe.

Lee Doherty: Here’s one from me (as I am a big fan of the Mark Steven Johnson director’s cut version) – will it be a Rated-R and not a cop-out PG-13?

XG: It’s totally a R rated movie, with in the fight the same violence as in Watchmen. For me when Matt Murdock is Daredevil, he is close to Rorsach in Watchmen.

Stephanie Metz: Are they going to do to Daredevil what they did for the Hulk?

XG: I don’t know what the studio would like to do but my vision is to one I explained to you.

Aruneshwar A Singh: Someone who actually loves and understands what the character is about. Someone who can bring the grit of Hell’s Kitchen and Tom’s Punisher reality to the move. The movie needs to not be a ‘let’s sell toys through this venture’ R13 crap. Make this a balls to the walls movie or no one will take the character seriously.

XG: I would take the charactere very seriously… Like in the Wrestler. For exemple Mickey Rourke could be a perfect father of Matt Murdock

Jimmy Palmiotti: why daredevil? why not something else that hasnt been done before?

XG:Because I love so much that charactere because he is mush more human than the other one. I would like to make a movie in the spirit of Unbreakable

Matt Rogers: My question is, there’s a real working class pathos to Matt Murdoch / Daredevil, and this is something we didn’t really see in the first film. With the general tone of the character and comic books being dark, similar perhaps to the Punisher, what mechanics would the new Daredevil director use to make absolutely sure he stayed true to the comic books but made a new and original movie?

XG: It’s completely my direction and given the opportunity I hope to do the best film I can…

Inaki Gorbena: Ok, I think y question would be:
We will see Typhoid Mary on the movie? Even and small cameo?
>
XG: That could be an idea…

Wow, I really like Gens’ idea of Mickey Rourke as Matt Murdock’s father. That choice alone makes me think he knows what a Daredevil flick truly needs to be epic and great. However, I think he is going a little too strong with the whole “uncompromising vision” thing. There is no way – let me repeat – NO WAY a studio is ever going to green-light a Daredevil movie that is Rated-R. This character may inhabit the same kind of dark, gritty, urban world as The Punisher, but War Zone this movie cannot (and should not) be.

A Dark Knight-style PG-13 flick with brutal action? Yes. A Watchmen-style, rated-R, Daredevil gore-fest? Who in Hollywood is going to pay for that?

Still, a passionate director like Xavier Gens, who seems to truly get the character of Daredevil is the best choice in sight to direct a reboot, IMHO. Do you think Gens is up to the task? Or does Hitman have you feeling skeptical?

You can read the full interview with Xavier Gens by going here.

Source: Facebook

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Top Fox Exec Talks Daredevil Reboot

Kofi Outlaw — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:11:13 +0000

The guys over at IESB were recently chatting with 20th Century Fox co-chairman, Tim Rothman, and got him to open up about the Daredevil reboot, a project which was proposed earlier this year at Comic Con by Sin City creator Frank Miller and British action star Jason Statham.

According to Rothman, Miller and Statham weren’t just doing some out-loud wishful thinking: a Daredevil reboot is something Fox would definitely be interested in–so long as they could snag a director who would be able to do for the Man Without Fear what Chris Nolan did for Batman Begins.

Check out a few snippets from the interview with Rothman:

IESB: One of the brands that has made Fox a lot of money is Marvel. Recently, there was a reboot of the Hulk, which was alright, but I think it was mainly to get it ready for the Avengers film coming up. But there are two Marvel properties you control amongst others, Daredevil and Elektra. Both films didn’t do too well but…reboot maybe?

Tom Rothman: A Daredevil, to use your words, reboot, is something we are thinking very seriously about.

TR: …I think that the thing the Hulk showed…that if you really do it right the audience will give you a second chance. That it is possible. And I think that you see that when they did Batman Begins, the first Nolan movie…given the proper amount of time and the right creative vision behind it, you can, to use your word, reboot.

Little surprise that 20th Century Fox would want to re-squeeze every penny out of something they already own and ruined once. Hell, if there’s money yet to be made, why NOT ruin something twice?

What is funny to me, however, is a later statement Rothman gave when asked whether the Daredevil reboot would mirror the gritty tone of a movie like The Dark Knight:

“Would it be as dark? I don’t know because what it really needs is, it needs a visionary at the level that Chris Nolan was. It needs someone, it needs a director, honestly, who has a genuine vision. What we wouldn’t do is just do it for the sake of doing it. Right? What we try to do is to get a creative engine for it, that really had a great vision for it, that’s what we would look for.”

Wow, at least Tommy-boy has that part finally figured out: snagging a good director and letting him do his thing = good $uperhero franchise. Brilliant!

(Studio Executives, for further instruction on how to properly make a superhero movie, please refer to Jon Favreau’s insightful comments about making Iron Man 2.)

In the meantime, are there any directors of “genuine vision” out there looking to take a crack at this Daredevil reboot?

Kevin Smith?

David Fincher?

Wayne Kramer, even?

Please guys, if you’re out there, I really am jonseing for a Daredevil movie done right.

(Thanks to IESB for snagging that great interview!)

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Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – Sept. 10, 2008

Niall Browne — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:19:53 +0000

The Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up this week features:

The makers of Disturbia are sued, Val Kilmer gets busy, is there too much Salt for Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise, could Colin Farrell be joining Robert Downey JR in Sherlock Holmes and will Fox be giving us more X-Men, Daredevil and Deadpool?

1. The makers of hit Shia La Boeuf film Disturbia are being sued by the rights holder of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. The Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust states that the films are too similar and that the Dreamworks film should have obtained the movie rights to the original short story by Cornell Woolrich.

Whoops.

Source: Deadline Hollywood

2. Although a lot of actors in Hollywood attach themselves to films, nobody signs on to as many as Val Kilmer. The former Batman has just signed on to two new films (take that Tom Cruise!) Kilmer has put his signature on the dotted line of Fake Identity and The Steam Experiment.

“In Fake Identity Kilmer will play ‘an American doctor working in Chechnya whose life takes a deadly turn when he helps a mysterious woman escape from her would-be assailant.’”

Meanwhile in The Steam Experiment Kilmer will star as a crazy scientist who according to CHUD:

“locks six people in a Turkish bathouse, cranks up the steam and watches for the inevitable meltdown.”

I’m a huge Kilmer fan, so I can’t wait to see anything that he’s in. Even Knight Rider when it hits these shores (the UK).

Source: CHUD

3. I’d hate to be Phillip Noyce. It looked like the director had Tom Cruise lined up to star in Edwin A. Salt, then the Cruiser dropped out only to be replaced by Angelina Jolie. Now it looks like Angelina is a tad too busy and she has had to withdraw from the film.

Who will star? Who knows – heck maybe the film will fall apart, but at least they have a male/female friendly script to shop around.

Source: Joblo

4. Joblo reckons that my fellow Irish-man Colin Farrell is in line to star as Dr Watson in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes.

My thoughts – great! Farrell rocks (I’m one of the few who liked Alexander) and I’d love to see him teamed with Robert Downey Jr and Russell Crowe as Morariaty (rumored).

As a side note, my film tutor once told me a real story about Farrell that was seriously funny. I might tell it… one day.

Source: Jobo

5. We all know that Fox is shafting directors left and right these days. Following the terrible summer that the studio had this year it looks like they are trying to get geek-friendly. The studio is now looking into a Daredevil reboot and a Young X-Men series as well as a Deadpool film.

I thought the first Daredevil film was okay, it looked good but it lacked soul. With a bit of luck they can change that. However, why not give Affleck a call?

Deadpool- I’m going to guess that Ryan Reynolds is a shoe- in.

Could it all be too late for Fox?

Source: Variety

That’s it for this week! See you at the movies.

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Jason Statham Wants to Play Daredevil

Kofi Outlaw — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 05:58:23 +0000

…At least if he has any say in the matter.

An LA Times reporter had the good fortune to run into actor Jason Statham (Death Race) and comic book icon-turned comic book movie director, Frank Miller (Sin City, The Spirit), during Comic-Con last week, and oh what plans the pair of them were cooking up.

Said Statham,

“Could a British actor wear the red horns of the Man Without Fear?… Absolutely, just give me the chance, I would love to be Daredevil.”

Miller, the writer of “Born Again,” one the greatest Daredevil stories ever told, lent Statham a bit of comic-cred by adding,

“I think he should be Daredevil too.”

Statham does have the action resume to qualify him to play The Man Without Fear, (and if you’ve seen some of the crazy stunts he’s done in his movies, you know that he has very little fear to begin with.) If his NYC accent is up to par, I say give him a shot at the role–hell, anything to help erase the traumatic memories of that 2003 debacle with Ben Affleck wearing the red suit and horns while butchering Miller’s mythology. (Here’s hoping somebody lost their job over that, BTW.)

What do you think: is Statham up to the task, or is there another actor you’ve been waiting to see take on the role of Daredevil?

Source: LA Times via Latino Review

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