The Wolfman Is Getting A New Action Scene

grrrr

A new action scene is being prepared for Joe Johnston’s Wolfman, and according to Dark Horizons reader Glenn, the legendary second unit director and stuntman Vic Armstrong is involved. Those reshoot alarm bells might be ringing, but at least we’ve got a true pro like Armstrong in control.

Armstrong was appearing as a guest at the BFI Southbank’s James Bond marathon last weekend when he let slip some details on the sequence. There’s enough information to suggest this is spoiler material - indeed, it might contain a serious reveal - so do feel warned before leaping over the break.

According to Glenn, Armstrong and team have been working six day weeks on this new sequence. Here’s what he says goes down:

[It's a] fight scene between two werewolves involving a fair amount of CG with them going up the walls and other bits of business.

Two werewolves? Okay. That could either mean that the villain is revealed as being lycanthropic or, for that matter, that a second werewolf is at some point put into the position of antagonist. Least likely of all is that the film pits wolf against wolf from the beginning. My hunch is that these wolves are the Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins characters, but Armstrong never specified.

Armstrong’s part in this sequence isn’t clear. He may be directing it in his second unit helming capacity, he may be co-coordinating the stunts, but I wouldn’t expect that, at his age, he’s out there on the ropes and pulleys in person. What also hasn’t been clarified is who else has been involved in creating the sequence. Here’s Glenn again:

He didn’t mention whether Joe Johnston was there or not, he did mention Benicio’s name but wasn’t specific about whether he was involved or not in this shoot.

I’m still mourning for the Wolfman film we almost had. Until rather close to production, Mark Romanek was directing, before he departed over budget-based disagreements. Then the rumours started to surface that Rick Baker’s practical wolfing FX were being underused with fanboy baiting CG being exploited instead. My hunch tells me that we’ll all be mourning those possibilities when this movie finally rolls out in November.

  • Where did you hear these rumors of Rick Baker's work being under-cut by CG? Rick Baker is "heading" the effects department including the CG work. He's overlooking the 3d stuff they are adding. From which I'm told isn't very much.

    Most if not all of Rick Baker's original "Wolfman" work is intact.
  • B33
    From my understanding, the actual transformation sequences will be CGI, which Baker opposed as he had the make-up present to do a physical rendition of it.

    He also didn't have much guidance with the studio heading the CGI with the transformations and did notice flaws with it upon visiting the company and viewing a rough draft.

    Whether that is still the case or not is unknown.
  • Really? I was told it was going to be a mix. And the CG was going to be used mainly for parts of the face when he was going through the transformation. Even the 3d stuff i did see got Baker's stamp. At least that's what he said...

    The rough draft you speak of I do remember. They seemed to have listened to what he said. Stating that he couldn't stand seeing the "Mummy-style" CG mouth-stretching. Like the crap you saw in I Am Legend as well.

    Man, I really hope they don't fuck him on this. Baker's work is amazing when it's left alone and overlooked by him.
  • B33
    Perhaps it was just the face that was handled in the post production phase and the rest was physical make-up in between shots...

    But the gradual development into the full fledged form would take shots of the fur coming in, the face developing into a wolf life form, the eyes changing, and the body shifting, correct? I suppose they could just do quick shots of various stages of make-up with a transforming CGI face, but they could have very well just replaced the entire actor with CGI, as well...

    I know he cited the "teeth" in the mouth as an example of one of the flaws the production studio had with the rough draft. Wasn't aware of the "stretching mouth," but that wouldn't surprise me, in all honesty.

    At any rate, here's my source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/27/cgi-wolf-man...

    Granted, the article is just under a year old and the state of it could have very well changed by now, but it's still something to keep in mind, regardless.
  • I've been told the exact same... apart from the "isn't very much" part and the last sentence.
  • I really, really, hope they don't squander the great work he's done. The original film is the reason why Rick Baker went into special effects. Hell, the guy owns the original make-up kit and tools used int he ORIGINAL film!
  • I really, really hope so too - and rumours are only rumours, so there's more than hope.
  • I don't know why you're so down on this, judging from the test screening reviews I've read the movie sounds like it will be pretty entertaining.

    Of course, I would have rather seen Romanek's version, being the Nine Inch Nails fanboy that I am, but I'm willing to judge this movie based on what it is, not what it could have been.
  • I like Joe Johnston a lot, he's responsible for some of my favorite movies from childhood, and Honey I shrunk the Kids was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. I know that doesn't probably inspire confidence for y'all, but I've got a soft spot for he guy. :-) Plus- Rocketeer, man. Rocketeer.

    Defiantly holding out hope. I don't have much invested in the wolfman personally, so I'm just looking for a great ime.
  • ziggi
    i cant wait for this movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    about the 2nd werewolf
    -
    ********SPOILERS********
    the 2nd werewolf thing was confirmed very early on by anthony hopkins.
    i didnt think this was news.
  • george
    can i just say that i a friend of mine is working on wolfman and mark romanek was a complete tit. deeply disappointing and treated everyone like the gum on the bottom of his shoe.
  • zippy
    Who's your friend? Joe Johnston?
  • blank
    actually i've worked with him too. he's absolutely horrible man. treats everyone like dirt. even the actors and producers. its bizarre. really really would avoid him like the plague. there's no surprise that the man hasn't made many feature films if you have worked for him.
  • I really wanted to see this movie back in 2008 but I'm not really looking forward to it anymore. I guess I'll rent it if anything if it stays with the release date it has right now.
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