Frank Miller says he’s not only working on a big screen adaptation of his 1990 three-issue mini-series Hard Boiled, but he also wants to direct it himself.
“We’re talking about [it]. I’ve got a really unusual way I want to do it,” Miller told MTV at the New York Comic-Con. “I’m in love with directing. I’ve found a way to expand my career. Comics and directing are really two sides of the same coin. That’s what Robert Rodriguez taught me… good drama is good drama.”
Miller says he wants to make the movie in “a really unusual way”, let’s hope that doesn’t mean “another movie which will look and feel like Sin City“.
The story follows Carl Seltz, a suburban insurance investigator who discovers he is actually a cyborg named Nixon, a berserk, homicidal tax collector who also happens to be the ultimate robot killing machine and the last hope of the future’s enslaved mechanical servants. In 2001, Warner Brothers was in negotiations to adapt the comic book into a feature film, with David Fincher set to direct and Nicholas Cage to star, but it never happened.
Discuss: Should Frank Miller direct more movies or stick to making more comics?
April 21st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
It depends on how ‘The Spirit’ turns out (it’s difficult to determine how much input he had into Sin City). I wasn’t overly impressed by the ‘Spirit’ trailer, so who knows…
April 21st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I fully agree with Conor, it all hinges on how ‘The Spirit’ turns out with it being Miller’s first solo directing effort. I don’t think he means a similar look to Sin City because that wouldn’t necessarily be “unusual” since we’ve already seen that kind of visual style.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
One of the most mind-bending and disturbing comics I’ve ever read. I would love to see a big screen adaptation of this. Especially from the man who created it.
Let’s hope The Spirit kicks a sufficient amount of ass for this to be possible.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:05 pm
If Spirit is good yes…but damn…Fincher?
April 21st, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Hardboiled needs a detailed, even more colorful world. It’s a great ultra-violent storyline.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
When I first glanced at this I thought you were saying they were going to remake John Woo’s finest film Hard Boiled. I’m not familiar with comics really so that’ll explain why.
This makes me really really wanna watch Hard Boiled.
April 21st, 2008 at 7:47 pm
@Captain
I totally agree with you, this needs balls-out colour….I think Miller is getting a little ahead of himself, talking new projects when we don’t know if the Spirit is any good. But it’s a great comic to adapt. Wasn’t there rumors about Miller’s Ronin getting turned into a film as well, with Darren Aronofsky directing? I don’t know if anyone else has checked out Miller’s Robocop comics, but I’d love it if he wrote the script for the new movie.
April 21st, 2008 at 7:53 pm
is neither an option?
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
Good site here guys. Even though you makes too much fun of myself.
I will be directing Indiana Jones 5. It’s the only way Stephen and I could keep Lucas from putting his horrible little hands on the fifth (and best) movie in the franchise.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:23 am
Awesome!
I posted a couple of weeks back I was hoping this would make to to screen. Man I hope this works out.
Hard Boiled is my all time favorite kick ass ultra violent comic..
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 am
I would be very happy to see Hard Boiled done right. I am with Jonny in thinking Hard Boiled is one of my fave comics series,e ven if it was only 3 issues.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 am
This is one of those comics designed to become a movie. Hope Miller ropes in Darrow. The extreme ‘Where’s Wally?’ style is really essential. I’m happy Miller is moving into film. If it excites him and brings him to new creative levels, why not? Just hope he breaks his Sin City style, getting quite bored of it. Too predictable.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:17 am
I’m with Junior, up thread (i.e., neither). Frankly, I didn’t care for Sin City (all flash, reactionary subtext) and I have low expectations for The Spirit (looks like it’s diverging significantly from the Will Eisner original). I’ll see it, of course.
And hey, any news on Batman: Holy Terror (Batman vs. Al-Qaeda)? I thought that was a done deal, but it looks like it’s not going to happen. I’m happy about that, in case you’re wondering.