MTV has released this interview with Red director, Robert Schwentke and in his own words, he plans on turning the Warren Ellis/Cully Hamner project into something of a comedy, or at least something “lighthearted”.
“I love the script,” Schwentke said told MTV News. “It’s very funny, which the comic book isn’t.”
I don’t think it was ever intended as comedy, sir. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I laughed at a Warren Ellis script. It is funny to me however that when a film is optioned, the director/studio has a completely different vision. I understand that certain things don’t translate to page from the screen all that well and the movie may suffer from it. Schwentke also went on to say that the violence had been toned down. Understandable since they are probably aiming for a PG-13 rating. I contacted Cully Hamner to see how he felt about the so-called changes.
“Well, talking about a prospective movie and a finished movie are two very different things. When we were first approached about a film version of RED, I fully expected that the material would see some changes—if for no other reason than the length of the original comic.” Makes sense. He then added, “It would be presumptuous of me to give an opinion on a movie that hasn’t yet been made, based on a couple of comments from the director. But hey, you know, our comic is still there and available for anyone who’d care to see what our intent was.”
So what do you think, readers? Do you think Red‘s new direction will be well-suited under proper direction, or do you smell another Schumacher?
August 4th, 2009 at 9:57 am
NEXTWAVE was a comedic piece of sorts, wasn’t it?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:28 am
You don’t remember the last time you laughed at a Warren Ellis comic? Really? Ellis has always straddled the line between over-the-top comedy and dead-serious discussion of issues. I mean, a bowel disruptor?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:46 am
You can’t remember the last time you laughed at a Warren Ellis script, eh?
So you’re immune to his writing in Transmetropolitan, No Hero, Ignition City, Black Summer, his Thunderbolts run, Freakangels, Newuniversal, Planetary, RUINS, Fell, Astonishing X-Men, The Authority, and Crecy, then?
If people pick up Red after seeing the film – well, that should be enough for those of us who appreciate the comic. Unless Warren and Cully go back and alter the original material in an attempt at bringing it into line with the screenplay, I think we’re going to be okay.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Crecy had side-splitting laughter. Every page was funny in that book. The author of this article may perhaps have misconstrued what s/he was reading. As far as the film goes – it is often found that a movie has no realtion to its source material. This I’m sure will be no different. Red was all right – does it need to be a movie? If there is a movie – do I need to see it? And that’s the final point – debating what might be is useless until it is, and even then you can wait to judge it, instead of being scared of someone else’s vision.
You think Warren gives a fuck?
Cheers,
B