Todd McFarlane Gives ‘Spawn’ Movie Update

Todd McFarlane has just given a bunch of new details about his long-await redux on a Spawn live action film in a new interview with The Playlist. In the interview he talks about how far along they are on the film and how dark they are planning to really go:

We just signed off on the script, and are going into budgeting. We’re also having our casting meeting…It will be dark and heavy, serious, R-rated. It won’t be a superhero movie. I don’t think most people would categorize it as that. It will be a supernatural thriller, like a lot of good creep movies. The only thing in the movie that’s fantastic is Spawn, and anything else is otherwise normal.

…I like to explain that it’s my “Jaws.” Spawn doesn’t say a word the entire movie, and it’s the same way with “Jaws.” It’s about the sheriff and the people, chasing the ghost. That’s it…The lead role isn’t Spawn, the lead role is a cop, like Sheriff Brody from “Jaws.” I think we can hook a fairly significant actor that we want. Unlike a superhero movie, we wouldn’t need an actor to put on prosthetic (makeup) or go to the gym. We just need him to act.

As to whether or not that cop (or cops) will be Sam or/and Twitch, McFarlane didn’t say, but it would be great to see if that’s the road he chooses to go down. One thing is for sure, he’s going to make sure that he’s in control of this film, and no one is going to tell him otherwise:

It was a non-negotiable for me to write, produce and direct. If you make that demand in Hollywood, it’s reasonable somewhat if you have an $8 to $12 million budget as a newbie director. Otherwise if the budget were $100 million, then I said I want to direct it, as a CEO myself, I wouldn’t take that deal … A couple movies ago they came out with “Get Out,” and spent $4 million with Jordan Peele, a comedian, who wrote and directed it. Somebody took a chance on him and his vision…Jason (Blum’s) movie “Split” spent $11 million and that one made close to $300 million. That’s not bad.

Source: Playlist