Cool News
FRANK MILLER’S RONIN Has A Director... But Is He The Man For The Job?!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
Y’know, I’m not the sort of person to judge a director harshly based on one film, but I will confess... I am less than impressed with the decision by Warner Bros. to hire Sylvain White as the director of FRANK MILLER’S RONIN. This is no easy adaptation, and it’s certainly not the same sort of commercial property that SIN CITY or 300 are. Those films fall into easily definable genres. SIN CITY is a noir pastiche, and 300 is a balls-to-the-wall action epic. RONIN, though... it’s a complicated, not-entirely-successful blend of Japanese samurai films and heady science-fiction.
Darren Aronofsky flirted with the project for a while, and that would have been an interesting match of filmmaker and material. But so far, Sylvain White has directed the direct-to-video-and-oh-so-awful I’LL ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, a film called TROIS 3 that I caught a bit of on cable one night thinking it sounded like a French art film (it’s not), and this year’s STOMP THE YARD. He’s one of those guys who came out of the commercial/music video world, and I’ll admit... I’m not familiar with any of that work. Maybe it’s impossible to judge him from his first few features. Maybe he’s been doing whatever he could in order to get to a place where he could start making passion projects. He wouldn’t be the first.
But really... FRANK MILLER’S RONIN? This isn’t an easy adaptation for even the most seasoned genre filmmaker. IESB broke the story that he’d be directing the film, but it’s Blackfilm that has an interview with him already up on their site. He has some decent things to say in the interview, and I think he sounds like his heart and head are in the right place.
Look… I’ll cross my fingers and hope that White turns out to be the right guy for the job. I certainly don’t want to root against the film. I just hope they nail the script and that they give him enough money to fully realize the insane world that Miller created. I’m willing to be the performance of 300 will have a lot to do with whether or not this one gets the greenlight.
We’ll update on this one whenever we hear more.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
-
+ Expand All
-
Whatever happened to having to prove yourself as a director?
-
I mean if someone gets it on there desk, it don't matter how hard you think it is to do right. They will all ways want the chance to butcher the story and vision just for you.
As always i'll wait and see. -
I heard someone say Aronofsky stole some stuff from Ronin and put it in The Fountain! Is that true? I loved The Fountain and don't read comics so wouldn't know.
-
For once Drew is right. Way to hard to translate for the big screen. Only Sam Raimi comes to mind who could make it work. Anyway perhaps Mr. White is a miracle waiting to happen. And it can't get any worse than Tim Story's shit, can it?
-
That cleared some things up.
-
They can't really call it "Ronin".
-
"What they doin'?"..."Stompin' the ninja! Where you from?!"
-
and i remember reading over at CHUD that Miller said 300 would be the last one of his properties not directed by him, as he wants to get all Sin City 2 on everything he's done. Guess he doesnt care 'bout Ronin all too much.
-
the average person. Where is Booby DeNiro? I wonder if there'll be another huge car chase? I still don't think Miller's name has enough cache with the average moviegoer. Sin City did pretty well, but I'm sure that WAY over half of the non-geek people that saw or liked the movie even pay attention to the "Frank Miller" part of "Frank Miller's Sin City".
-
Yes, his recent films have been awful, but that's a bit harsh, no? ;)
-
It's like WB and Fox are trying to figure out who can fuck up a comic franchise worse. This can only end with Uwe Boll directing NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. for Fox as a response to WB hiring David Spade to star in and direct GREEN LANTERN. This is the road to Hell.
-
Oops...
-
Is he really gonna let them give it to this douche?
-
Are all the good directors busy or something how can they toss away what could be epic films to directors who literally can only make garbage? I mean I don't want to sound like the average ass hole who dislikes movies, but I could probably do a better job. Frank Miller needs to grow some balls back and grab control because the WB is seriously trying to figure out how to make horrible movies.
-
his name is plastered on all of the trailers. and Sin City 2 comes out soon. thats more FM name exposure.
-
I think the story would be better served as an anime mini-series. Get one of the Japanese animation studios (I.G.,Gainax,Gonzo or Madhouse) to do the animation(a mix of traditional animation with CGI elements) from a screenplay by Miller,tweaking something the weaker elements. I would hire Peter Chung to co-direct with Miller and to tweak the character designs a bit. Just for the scope of the story, I'd do it as a mini-series for Adult Swim since the project is already set up at Warner Brothers. Do it like Spike did with Afro Samurai and then release as a special edition DVD. Doing it completely animated means they could do it for under $10 million which they could easily recoup through DVD and merchandise sales.
That's just a pipe dream. I'm sure White has love for the project, but from the interview he seems like one of those directors who isn't quite as good as he thinks he is. -
I hated the DOTD remake thoroughly, but by the looks of it he knocked 300 out of the park, although I'll reserve final judgement until I actually see the film. Still, this guy doesn't inspire much confidence.
-
Someone kill WB and Fox plz, kthx.
-
Except for straight white middle class males. Nope. If you're straight, white, middle class, and male... you're fucked. No special education grants, no special government assistence, and god forbid, if you have a "straight white middle class male" clique like a club or website - well, then, you're sexist AND racist. However, it's totally okay if your another sex, color, or sexual orientation. God those types of websites piss me off. "Sorry, this website is for BROTHAS, keep your cracka ass OUT."
-
Isn't that kind of redundant? Or was is supposed to mean 33, and it was some sort of French tribute to Larry Bird?
-
this movie will fit in nicely with this club.
-
damn
-
...will now be directed by one of the least serious, least distinguished directors imaginable. the only way they could have sent this further down the Path of Hack would be to exhume j. lee thompson and plop him in a director's chair on location, somewhere. i remember being non-plussed when this was first released by DC -- like miller was trying to be moebius and goseki kojima simultaneously -- but it's held up over time, has it not? better auteurist experimentation than the endless sons of macfarlane, jim lee, & freakin' cetera. along those lines, in an era where scorcese has to settle for a (good) remake of an HK franchise, where are the other "prestige" directors who can't get arrested in hollywood? you'd think they'd be clawing each other's eyes out to get their hands on some tough miller material. i guess not. i guess i still can dream of michael cimino's _deathlok_, terrence malick's _dr. strange_, jim jarmusch's _ant-man_, charles burnett's _dazzler_, &c., &c.
-
Now this. Is Hollywood trying to run all the talent out of town?
Let's replace everyone with passion with guys who make crap and see how that works out. We'll also throw the guys we'd normally never talk to again onto projects that could be amazing and have them totally fuck them up. Now who wants to order some Chinese?
Wait, can we get Nolan off The Dark Knight? I hear the guy who directed Norbit is interested.
Good idea Jimmy, in fact you're the new head of of the studio. I have to go take a dump. Get me some Chow Mein Shrimp and a fortune cookie. The last one of those was gold and resulted in me green lighting Crash. -
...I have no sympathy for your whining. White folks in this country got a 400 year start on the rest of us so if you're unhappy with your lot in life that's your own damn fault and nobody else's.
-
And coming soon: 'Pyatz 5: Russification'
-
Terrible movie. I guess I'm not spilling any secrets, am I? Still, the woman in it was hot. :P
-
Feb 12, 2007 12:23:24 PM CST
Sometimes they attatch a director simply to keep the...
by negative man
...film rights. Could be part of the contract. "If there is no movement on production by this date, then the rights revert to creator or whoever originated the project..." sorta thing. Either way, we're at least 5-10 years away from seeing RONIN on film.
-
Why is it we expect these guys to be brilliant right off the bat, especially when their first films are studio hack work like I Know What You Did Last Summer. I don't think Scorcese could make a good IKWYDLS movie. I think our problems is that the current generation of film masters, the ones we look up to and respect, for the most part got their start in the late 60s and early 70s when the film business was in the dumps and the studios let their directors take more chances. Now everything is a franchise and controlled by the studios. Mori, your collected body of work to date is not much different from this guy's. Could you honestly say you'd turn down the chance to adapt this to the screen if they offered it to you. When this guy tries to do something creative and independent and fails, I'll judge his work, but for now it seems like he's just a director who caught a good break and could really make something of himself if he does it right.
-
Finish Him Straight to Video!!!Or that's what it says on IMDB. IMDB also said he named his kid after George Lucas, but I don't see how "Neckless Pontificator" is a good name for a child.
-
got to give the guy a chance. Remember Cameron started out with flying fish...
-
... and he says "fuck off, bitches!"
-
when said film shows absolutely NO proclivity towards this type of film.Until word comes down that gives any kind of reason to be optomistic,considering how many times comic fans have been burned,combined with the fact that his FILM was a GAY ASS URBAN DANCE MOVIE,comic fans have severe reason to doubt.No offence to homosexuals,by the way,you know what I meant.
-
And I'm *still* waiting for all these great-paying jobs, special low-interest rates, and free loans I'm supposed to be eligible for just because I'm a hetero-honky. Do I need to send off for a brochure or something to start claiming my exclusive White Man priveleges?
-
is a sure bet of quality work...like The Covenant, or hell, Norbit made over 30 million, IT'S GOTTA BE GOOD.
-
having your movie at number 1 also means you waved the noisemaker in front of the class of retarded 2 year olds long enough to hold their attention.
-
No, it isn't. I doubt it'll ever get made, even.
-
Then really falls apart fast. It's essentially a Phillip K. Dick novel set to comic format. Cool idea, cool beginning, confusing middle, and retarded ending.
-
I solid property like thatdeserves better. If I was Miller I'd be worried.
-
Though I haven't yet had the chance to read the graphic novel, I was able to get a copy of the script. I think I enjoyed this one more than most of the scripts I've read in the last few years.
At first I was totally skeptical about a time-traveling samurai who ends up in a mega-battle in a city (it was either Tokyo or NYC, can't remember at the moment) in 2063. I didn't think this was going to come off - a big-budget sci-fi movie in which some dude possesses the body of a quadriplegic kid with cybernetic arms or whatever. Still, it ended up being pretty fucking cool. I don't know if this was in the comic, but the best part of the script was this war that's being fought in the streets by gangs of homeless people; everyone who has any kind of money lives on some level of any of the massive high-rises, and the people below just get shit on. While Agat rules above the city the Ronin has to fight a war in both places - one highly advanced, one with sticks and stones. Great contrast.
I hope this one actually makes it to film, but I don't know if it's going to have the wide-range appeal to justify the budget it's going to need. -
all about the $$$ - they don't want to spend the big bucks on a top director, so go for someone new. Who do you go for; a guy who makes bombs or a guy who makes money? He is the flavor of the month and he gets the call. Never seen any of his films, BUT a guy who can make a film that is #1 for a few weeks SHOULD get a chance on a bigger film. If he fucks it up, call his last film a fluke and he makes Segal movies for the rest of his life.
-
The Matrix' plot was stolen outright from Ronin, only they turned into a good story
-
Only that I have no sympathy for your whining that minorities get "special" advantages...If you want to be upset at someone about your social-economic status than be upset at your parents, as class is far more important than race in determining your financial status in life. I grew up as a middle class minority, and guess what, that's what I still am in spite of all the "advantages" I'm supposed to have.
-
I have no idea what that even means.
-
or will they just put "Frank Miller's Ronin" on there without his support or involvement? I love this book, but part of the love is the artwork, which just plain won't work as a film without significant changes.
-
Frank Miller has done some great work, but I don't "get" Ronin and never did. I bought it when it was released and it made little impression on me and I don't remember much of it. On the other hand Sin City and Dark Knight Returns were instant classics. I don't care if they "screw up" this movie because the source material is far from precious.
-
that should count for something - snyder is a big fan too - his movie looks to be pretty good - wb picked this guy cause hes young and nobodys heard of him - $ - id be more worried if he never heard of miller or ronin until he was approached for the project
-
That´s good bad director
-
It was cool. *shrug*
-
Although Stomp the Yard is a different genre, after seeing it, and reading Sylvain White's interviews I am convinced he will do well. The man definitely knows how to capture a mood, and how to direct intense action.
Cheer up boys, we're in for a treat.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Quint sees some DJANGO UNCHAINED footage at CANNES!!! -- 290 total posts 285 posts
- A Fire Definitely Rises In The New DARK KNIGHT RISES One Sheet!! -- 202 total posts 201 posts
- Tom Cruise Saddles Up For A Remake Of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!! -- 102 total posts 100 posts
- Mark Millar Offers Some Interesting Insight Into The KICK-ASS Movie Sequel!! -- 77 total posts 77 posts
- "Some Men Are Coming To Kill Us. We're Going To Kill Them First." Teaser To SKYFALL! -- 245 total posts 77 posts
- "I Don't Remember An Episode." The Teaser For THE MASTER Is Here!! -- 146 total posts 65 posts
- Charlize Theron thinks it is pretty badass to be in a Ridley Scott Space Movie! PROMETHEUS featurette -- 86 total posts 61 posts
- When there’s no more room in Hell The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day will walk the earth. -- 48 total posts 48 posts
- When there’s no more room in Hell The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day will walk the earth. -- 48 total posts 48 posts
- Is Official!! BREAKING BAD’s Final Season Begins In Under Two Months!! -- 48 total posts 48 posts