When fans of the “Wanted” comics go see the movie this weekend they will be in for a bit of a change of pace as the movie takes a few liberties with the comic version, but ardent fans shouldn’t mind too much.
“Night Watch,” “Day Watch” director Timur Bekmambetov openly admitted during a recent press conference that he decided not to base the entire film on the popular Mark Millar and J.G. Jones comic book series but did reserve the first half to stay as true as possible to the Millar/Jones original. However, once the homage has been paid, the film becomes its own product and vision of the famed Russian director.
The movie sticks to the basic premise about a young, quiet and shy man who works at a non-descript job making little or no impact on the world around him until he is drafted by a highly secretive organization known only as the Fraternity, that are expert assassins.
“I think for the film audience, for cinema audience, it’s quite important to know why your hero’s killing people,” Bekmambetov said at the press interview. “Not killing just for fun. If not, you will lose your hero right away. It’s enough for 20 minutes … I can do exactly like it is in the comic book.”
Explaining further his decision to depart from the comic Bekmambetov added, “But if I want to create the journey and to create the arc of the character, I need an idea why my character wants to be different, you know what I mean? If you want to keep audience holding for longer you need an idea, and the idea of the Fraternity killing people to keep the balance of the world, … [then the] audience will believe [you] for two hours.”.
“Wanted” stars James McAvoy (“Last King of Scotland”) as the lead with co-stars Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. It opens in theaters this Friday, June 27.
Mark Millar himself has stated that the movie closely follows the original idea of the comic book, and that it was the comic that diverged from the original pitch. The movie rights were purchased before the comic came out, and so the script and the comic were done simultaniously. Thus, when the comic changed it’s structure, and the movie script did not, it’s is the delayed movie that seems to be the one that diverged. I’ve no idea whether this is good or bad, I just thought I’d inform.
I would like to hear more from Mark Millar about that… because as the movie stands, I enjoyed it. I think it’s curious that it was the comic that diverged from the original story pitch and not the screenplay, when it’s typically been the other way around.
Sounds like Brian, Mike and I may have a little discussion while recording the show tomorrow night!
Eh, maybe at the dollar theater. The only thing about this that appeals to me is the director (I frakking LOVED Night Watch).
Arkle,
Night Watch was awesome. And to further know that the film cost 6 million, and yet had some of the most innovative special effects I’d ever seen. Day Watch was okay as well, though some plot points were just silly as hell. The chaulk of destiny? Really?