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Lionsgate moves forward with PUNISHER 2!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. We've heard for a long time that Lexi Alexander (HOOLIGANS) will direct with Ray Stevenson filling in Thomas Jane's army boots. I believe you heard Alexander's name attached here for the first time, shortly after we broke Jane's departure from the franchise.
Lionsgate now confirms it all with an announcement that the film begins production in October, pitting Frank Castle against a mobster in NYC... and Jigsaw, they say.
I'm really interested to see what Alexander can do with this film. She's got a hard edged style and a willingness to go pretty brutal. Hopefully this one works out. Thoughts?
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I liked the first one and this should be fun.
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This movie will blow.
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we'll see...
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This should be cool.
I liked the game more than the movie though. "Brutal". Sounds very exciting! I hope they kill kittens! -
Kinda liked the first but got a bad feeling 'bout this one. Oh well, time will tell...
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They fucked up the franchise twice.
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"I'm Tom Jane."
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But then, I've only seen the director's cut.
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Why don't they just bite the bullet and make this a DTV sequel.
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I've just realised what 'Hooligans' is. It's that FUCKING ABYSMAL West Ham football hooligan movie with Elijah Wood. The penny has only just dropped cos it was called 'Green Street' in the UK. The guy who played the main hooligan had the worst Cockney accent since Dick Van Dyke's in Mary Poppins. In fact, it sounded EXACTLY like that... "Let's split some heads Mary Parp-ins!" -
I don't want to pre-judge this since both director and star I don't know. I'm a bit weary of Tom Jane not being there though. Seriously, Tom was great in the role and could have done well with a better script and a good budget.
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I liked the fact that the Dolph movie just chugged right along without bothering with an origin story. I wish other movies just cut to the chase and let you figure out a character by seeing them in action.
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Talk about cheap. What a downgrade, fucking cheap cunce at Lionsgate. Can't wait till the rights revert back to Marvel.
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Was truly one of the most God-Awful fims ever made. It made The Football Factory look like the Godfather. I shit you not.
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I avoided seeing 'Green Street' at the time after some of the reviews I had read; caught it on the box the other night and was amazed just how shit it was!
Honestly,even without the knowledge of just how inaccurate it all was, it was just terrible to watch with it's pathetically mixed message that seemed to be praising some non-existant nobility or honour that obviously Alexander would like to believe actually exists in the world of thick, thug twat hooligan footy 'fans'. The ending where Elijah Wood sings the 'West Ham' song after using his new found wisdom (that threatening to paste the living shit out of someone usually gets them to be compliant) and then punches the air... well, it's worth seeing for that, as long as you can see it for free!
Also ... she better hire the voice trainer for a bit longer this time so good ol' Ray from Rome doesn't as utterly unconvincing as the supposed 'East Ender' in 'Pooligans'. I guess as a German she would'nt have a clue how someone from the East End of London would sound, but the other actors must've been biting their lips in-between takes.
By the way, that guy (Charlie Hunnam) was the bad guy with the dreads in 'Children Of Men' and in that he even managed to make his own accent sound false!! (He's a Geordie boy!).
Anyway, the last few dribbles of faith I had in this sequel went long ago so I don't really care... the violence in 'Green Street' wasn't very strong nor particulaly well shot, I liked Ray in Rome and given a decent script and believable accent he could make for a very charismatic but hard-as-fuck Frank Castle... as long as he doesn't sport an american accent of the sort of crapness often displayed by Bean, Caine, Hopkins and Bloom (In the papfest 'Elizabethtown').
If I do see this I don't want to be cringeing and looking away in embarrassment a la 'Green Street' -
Aug 02, 2007 7:02:16 AM CDT
A woman directing a comic book movie is worse then...
by automation overlord
Ang Lee directing one.
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she will have to make it super brutal for any of the fans to give it a chance.
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I don't even support West Ham and I was insulted. Dogshit film. Frank Castle is the chew-toy of comic book movie franchises - ripped up and fucked over every time.
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When I heard Thomas Jane dropped out of the sequel I knew there was trouble -he had a better understanding of Punisher than that asshole Hensliegh did. But when I heard a woman was going to direct the sequel that tells me Lion's Gate couldn't find anyone else desperate enough to take their shitty script. And to cast this Ray guy as Castle? What moron thought that up? I saw him in Rome, and he sucked ass! Maybe Lion's Gates planning a straight-to-DVD sequel. They should shelve this crap until they take the time to go back and get it right.
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It's not saying much, because the first Punisher was a piece of shit. However, at least she's had experience directing something(it had some action/violence), as opposed to nothing. Also, Ray Stevenson looks more hardcore than Tom Jane. It's in NYC as opposed to Tampa, and Jigsaw is the villian as opposed to goofy Travolta.
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if Tom Jane's out, I'm out.
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I read this letter on this website from Tom Jane saying how he didn't like the idea for the sequel and felt bad about leaving since he had gone through crazy training and endless weapons conventions and spent lotsa time with Delta Force types etc. etc., so I felt I had to see what results this kind of commitment yielded. It was okay, but this guy didn't look in half as good shape or move as well as Wesley Snipes in Blade.Personally, I'll skip a Punisher sequel and just go see RAMBO 4! That's gonna rock!
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Did we forget that the script and direction for this movie was so bad that it made the lead actor, a guy passionate about the source material, quit the part? expectations right now, are real low.. i don't care what actor and director you replace everyone with.
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Now that i think about it, the last time i heard something like happen was Speed 2: Cruise Control...and we all remember how that little winner turned out...ugh... lol
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Well, it should be without Todd Parker.
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"Hopefully this one works out. Thoughts?"
It will suck. How about that? -
Was fucking mediocre. It's so typical of this website to latch on to what they think is a 'cool' Brit flick when in fact it's a pile of shit. Stop hyping this Alexander woman off the back one film. It was grating with Wright, and it's even more grating here. At least they've got a pretty good match for Frank.
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Frank's at a kids party dressed as a pirate (that's how he has on his trademark Skull T-shirt) Some goons come to kill the birthdayboys pops and accidentally waste all the little kiddies while Franks in the bathroom getting changed. then he sneaks around the house taking out the baddies with household appliances before going after Mr Big with an electric egg whisk.
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as long as she only directs three days outta the month.
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decent guy like Jane getting stuck with crap; decent guy like Bana getting railroaded with the Hulk and that Drew Barrymore movie (Chopper was just plain awesome). Man but do Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey make a good living these days. These directors today are horrendous - the schlock guys from the 50s were more entertaining.
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Aug 02, 2007 10:03:10 AM CDT
Don't know why there's all this hate for Ray Stevenson
by grantchastain
C'mon! "Oh yes, they call him the Streak! *fweeeeeee!*" You honestly going to tell me you don't kind of groove a little bit when "Ahab the Arab" comes on the radio? Anybody?*whispering*Oh.Never mind.
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Thanks for that one TallBoy66. That gave me a good chuckle this a.m.
I'll keep an eye on this project since I love the character so much, but I have unfortunately already passed judgement due to Jane's walking away. I highly doubt this will be anything but dreck. I'll just stick with the MAX comic. I'm with messi. -
Great actor...about the only thing that would make me want to see this movie. The guy was the main man in the greatest fight scene ever on TV...
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Stallone could do "In The Beginning", but he's already doing an old, aging, badass, cold killer in Rambo 4/John Rambo. Perhaps the third reboot of The Punsiher will get it ALL right. It's not a hard concept. He's a psychopathic killer. The end of Jane's Punisher gave me the feeling they were going to give us a cold, brutal, bloody and unapologetic sequel. Clearly that is not the case. Thanks Hollywood/Lions Gate! Great job!
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Proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that some chicks, the occasional bad ass chick, can direct a bad ass action film, or 3 or 4. So until we see what she does with Castle, lets not shoot her down just yet. Mind you, she seems left wing in her polotics, so it'll be interesting to see how she handles the gunplay. I was hoping someone painfully right wing (Milius, for example) would direct this film, and make it a John Woo style orgy of bullets and blood. Oh well.
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Stevenson is so much more Punisher than Jane. Bigger, meaner, scarier, and uglier.
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of the director or lead actor. It's the script/concept of this flick that I am taking issue with. Jane walked due to this. At least that's the impression I got after reading his letter. Who cares if the director is man or woman, left or right wing? I sure don't. I just want a brutal flick that is relatively respectful of the source. It's clearly too much to ask for them to be slavish to the MAX book, but Jane's walking says something to me. I only speak for myself, not others of course. Misogyny really gets on my nerves. Assholes.
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A woman *gasp* directed Jane in Stander. A damn fine film. Damn fine.
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The producers should deviate from the norm with regards to the sequel and have the new movie take place years later when the Punisher is old, balding and scarred both within and without. Get an older actor to portray the character ... maybe someone like Michael Ironside (after he looses a few pounds perhaps)
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Thomas Jayne was the only good thing about P1 - and HE walked because the script for P2 was shite? This thing'll go straight to the $2 bin, and even then it's overpriced by 50%.
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It was directed by a woman.
I rest my case. -
BACKWARDS!! Quick!!
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We've talked about this before on other talkbacks and I obviously concur with your sentiment. I think Lions Gate and all parties with power concerning this franchise are a bunch of pussies. I would love to see an old Vietnam vet taking out the mob in NYC. No comedy, no puns. Cold, brutal and honest. 300 worked out well for WB. This PG-13, PC mentality needs to stop. I miss the 70's and 80's. What the hell is wrong with people today? On a separate note, all this racial shit people keep bringing up regarding Resident Evil 5 is complete and utter bullshit. I consider myself a sensitive guy, but JFC. Stop building monuments out of molehills people.
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starring Drew Barrymore as the lonely girl next door who tries to bring Frank Castle back to humanity.
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For Frank.
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They should call it Punisher War Journal, go the Hulk route and drop the 2 since it won't have returning cast.
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i have lost all hope for this movie.
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with the director, haven't seen any of her stuff so i can't comment, I love the idea of NYC (would espically love some refrences to Kingpin but that ain't going to happen b/c Marel pimped out a large portion of their comics to different companies), but seriously we need Tom jane back. Loins Gate this is going to fail if you don't get Jane back. well probably not but we can hope. I'd love to see a Punisher War Journel movie in NYC with Jane and now thanks to Loins Gate it's not going to happen. tom Jane should hook up with Marvel and buy the rights back to this and do it right.
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If they took Punisher War Journal 1-12 that would make an incredible trilogy.
But I still don't like either choices for Punisher. I heard Dolph Lundgren might be available. Except his eyes dissapeared into his head, creepy. -
Still holds up. I bet Vern agrees with me. Bring back the Dolph!
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she tells me what to think and how to dress and what to do, and I turned out to be more entertaining than that first Punisher movie.
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Screw this. Whatever reasons Jane left this project is enough to make me wonder if 2 will be a turd. IMO, Jane was PERFECT in the role.
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It must be.
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It's nice to see that they're ignoring the shitfest that was the last Punisher movie - and I'm even more glad they ditched Jane (they guy just wasn't Frank Castle at all). Now all we need is for someone to realize that The Punisher needs to be a hardcore brutal rated R. The kind that gets hell edited out of it to just barely make the theatrical R rating (then later releases a vastly superior Unrated DVD). In any case, unless the script is lightyears better than the last films, not even an NC-17 will save it.
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How about Constantine 2
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...was so, so bad. I can't believe this site is championing it, and seeing its director attached to Punisher 2 as a good thing. Fuck that movie was so awful, it made Nick Love's attempt to depict football hooliganism look like 'Scum'.
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Why didn't they try to get Bronwen Hughes? Well I guess if the script stinks it doesn't matter. So what are the odds this will go straight to DVD?
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A hard R Punisher is the way too go. Clive Owen would have been a better choice though and still wanna see Walter Hill in the Directors chair,that would have been awesome.
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Oh, wait...That doesn't really help, does it? Never mind.
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was worth the admission alone when asked to elaborate on why he's not involved in Punisher 2. Man is he angry.
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What the fuck does having a director who is a woman have to do with anything? The real truth is that they are going to get an edgy director who's rep they are going to use to hide the fact that they have zero intention of making the movie edgy. Sure, they'll throw in a gratuitous violent scene or two and blab about how hard the movie is. But it will be a neutered made by committee piece of shit. If they wanted an edgy, true original Punisher film they would get people like the team who created Danny The Dog. That's much closer to tone of a Punisher film than either Punisher films to date. For the fuckheads who are complaining about a woman director... please... there are only a handful of great action directors period, regardless of the fact that action directors are nearly all men. Great action doesn't require a penis. It requires balls. When it comes to action heroes... sorry, but nobody holds a candle to Ripley. Not Indy, Bond, Bruce or Arnold.
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honestly, what a piece of shit movie
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As a fan of the Punisher comics who had hoped Jane would eventually have his way with it, and who was not at Comic Con, could you elaborate on his reaction?
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I say give it a chance. I didn't like Thomas Jane as the Punisher anyway. Mostly because the script was total shit, but also because although I like Jane as an actor, he just didn't have the look of Frank Castle. Just because someone works out and dyes their hair black does not make them look like Castle. Ray Stevenson, if he hits the gym like Jane did, will be much closer in look to Frank Castle, but still a ways off. Hell, I vote for Bringing Dolph back. His Punisher at least looked the part, even though he wasn't as muscular as he'd been in say Masters of the Universe. The problems have been with the shit scripts. These writers DO NOT understand what drives Frank, or how to approach him. Think 300, except leave out 299. And NO LOVE INTEREST and NO STUPID NEIGHBORS and above all, NO COMIC RELIEF. This movie does not have to appeal to everyone.. just us fans of the character. If it kicks ass, then word will spread and it will make money.
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Since there's no chance of another Dolph PUNISHER, who would be your second choice? Is there anybody out there now that you think could be a good Punisher, and still be marketable?
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I was watching Rome the other night and basking in the glory of Titus Pullo, Ray Stevenson's character on that show. It suddenly occurred to me that this guy would make the PERFECT Mad Max if Mad Max 4 ever gets off the ground (fingers crossed.) Let's face it, Mel's too old! If the mantle has to be passed down, go with a badass like Ray Stevenson! He's the right age, the right build, could even do an Aussie accent. Not to mention that he's proven he can play a brutal, mean motherfucker of an antihero. RAY STEVENSON FOR MAD MAX 4!
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I never wanted the guy in the role. I thought he was mushy-looking, and I thought his Punisher was dreadful. But I had hope that his enthusiasm to save a franchise that he himself was not happy with could steer the second one toward being good. So, I have mixed feelings about Jane's departure. Because, now there's NOBODY that we know of involved that we know to be a fan of the character. The fact that this new guy has only done one thing, no matter how good he may have been in it, makes me nervous. Thomas Jane wasn't a big star, and at this point I don't think he ever will be, but he'd at least been in some good fucking movies, and was recognisable. This guy looks like he could be as big and mean looking as Frank Castle needs to be, but he also has sort of a straight-to-video kind of vibe about him. You could put Jeff Wincott in a Punisher movie and more people would pay attention. Which makes me think they're going ultra-low-budget again, which means less destruction, which means less fun. I want to see Castle go COMMANDO on criminals. I want to lose track of the fucking body count. And, I don't want any bullshit ex-cop origin for Castle, either. This guy is a pure killing machine who gets off on what he does. I'm Netflixing ROME so I can judge for myself whether this guy works for me, but so far, I have an uneasy feeling, and it makes me wish that Jane was still in there, because he swore he was going to save it.
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dudes, give it a rest. The first Punisher movie licked my balls. I don't understand why people are excited for the sequel. When you start at absolute zero, there is nowhere to go but up! Thomas Jane is a very awesome actor but he had no chance of saving that piece of shit movie. At least a guy like Ray Stevenson looks like somebody you'd expect to see as the Punisher. I'm assuming Vinnie Jones wasn't available! YES WE NEED A PUNISHER WITH A BRITISH ACCENT, BECAUSE EVERYONE SOUNDS MORE BADASS WITH THAT ACCENT.
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Fuck yeah. THIRTEEN!
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At least it had a plot, unlike Football Factory.
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Daniel Craig in Casino Royale was only few shades away from the straightforward shoot-badguys-first-don't-bother-with-questions brutality that most people seem to expect from a Punisher film. Maybe that's the best alternative to the shitty Punisher films we're getting these days. And still, seriously, just bring back Dolph as an older Punisher and make a sequel to his version. You could do a LOT worse.
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Yes, I do
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A fan first praised Thomas Jane. Saying how much ass he kicked in Deep Blue Sea and Punisher.
Then another fan got up and asked. " Thomas, you said that you wouldn't be involved in Punisher 2, would you please elaborate on that ".
Thomas had a look that would melt steel. He held that look for around five seconds then said " NO ".
Then the next question was asked.
As I said previously you had to be there to believe just the look of angst and anger on his face. -
billcom6... that is scant praise indeed, anyone knows that I.D. pisses over both those films in the sub-genre of footy hooliganism flicks... Green Street had a plot which so that so misunderstood that world that it became wholly laughable; surely the last thing one should be doing when viewing a film about violence and thuggery!
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the popsicle things been done, how about he tortures somebody with a half carton of blue bunny or a frozen toaster strudel?
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abomination. However i don't aggree that a woman can't direct testosterone fuelled, orgy of violence. Anyone whos seen Point Break can vouch for that.
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You were the best thing in "The Punisher", now you let the guy who sang "The Streak" star as Frank Castle?!? Oh, wait, that's Ray Stevens! My bad!
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will Rebecca Romijn and some cowbell (it rules) be in this Direct to dvd?
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Thanks for asking. I think Gerard Butler might be okay in the role. I'm also hoping that Pullo (Thirteen!) will be okay. There have been a few actors who I have seen in one thing or another that I thought would be good, but I can't think of any of them right now. (Adam Baldwin might work) I think what is most important is that the script not totally suck, like the last one. If the producers would give us a hard movie, like "Man on Fire", or "300", or even the trailer for "John Rambo", then we would be happy.
And I just wanted to say that the popsicle in the back thing is one of the few things that came directly from the comic. The early Punisher War Journal (which would make an awesome title, whoever suggested it) issues that kicked much ass. Check out issue #7 for one of the best Punisher characterizations I've read. -
Should be played by a guy who looks so frickin mean that you would walk across the street to avoid passing him. Frank is not a pretty boy. He's not a young man either. Bring in someone who looks like they've been through the wringer a few times (like Daniel Craig does, although I'm not suggesting him). I still think Dolph could do it. It could be his comeback.
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Clive Owen has the perfect look if he would just hit the gym. He may be a little short though. Anyone know how tall he is?
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The script Thomas Jane turned down was written by Stuart Beattie and Jonathan Hensleigh, they are gone. An article in Vareity lists the writers for the script Nick Santora, Kurt Sutter, Matt Holloway and Art Marcum , 2 of them worked on the "Iron Man" script, the other 2 have written for shows like "The Shield". Would guess it won't be the same script Thomas Jane turned down. Even if you didn't like Hooligans, Lexi Alexander does have an Oscar nom under her belt and Ray Stevenson is a fine actor. Looking forward to this.
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I can't believe I am the fist to make note of this fact but Ray Stevenson is a million times better actor than Thomas Jane and I say that without hyperbole. Do you remember Dreamcatcher? Do you remember the first Punisher? Okay now how about frakking Rome? ROME PEOPLE! AGAIN ROME YOU WINING BITCHES THE BEST HBO 2 SEASON SHOW EVER. TITUS FRAKKING PULO AND YOUR BITCHING? HOLY SH#T GO TO HELL ALL OF YOU
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Can't believe the bitching. Its Titus Fraking Pulo. Man there are some women here in talkback land.
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Thirteenth!!! Ray will be good, hopefully he can overcome being directed by a chick. Thirteenth!!!!
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Whatever happened regarding TJ is ancient history and no longer relevant. This isn't the same film he walked away from. There's a new director, a new lead and a new script. Ray Stevenson not only fits the part but he's a brilliant, well trained actor. As many have pointed out, just watch the 2 seasons of Rome if you have any doubts. He can more than handle the brute, physical aspects of the part and, more importantly, he has the acting ability to make Castle into a genuine, living being that will provoke and captivate viewers. Again, see Rome - Pullo was a killing machine but Stevenson gave the character extraordinary depth. Even when Pullo was at his most brutal, both male and female viewers found him compelling. As for other concerns like "can he do an American accent", he has lots of training with that. He shot a pilot for CBS earlier this year, Babylon Fields. He played the chief of police in a Long Island town and was coached then, and yes, there's additional coaching for TP. Plus he's in training now for the physical demands of the role and will be in full Punisher readiness come October when filming begins. Lexi Alexander has proven she can handle action, regardless of whether individuals liked Hooligans, and has an Oscar nom. The writers are no slouches either. Whether people liked TJ Punisher or not, it doesn't apply here. This is a whole new situation and there are a lot of good key elements in place. Give it a chance to stand on its own and view it on its own merits.
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Go here and listen from about 15 minutes in to Mark Kermode's review of Green Street...
http://tinyurl.com/3blxq9 -
Not to mention that Titus Pullo is more appealing than the guy who was in that awful Cameron Diaz chick flick.
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In the 80s/90s....Joel Silver would've put one of his 2nd tier boys like Craig R. Baxley or Stephen Hopkins to direct. Then, he'd make the action look like a Die Hard/Lethal Weapon knock off and throw in some uncredited rewrites by Shane Black. Chock in a big budget, hard R-rating, and then...Whammo! You got a flick I'd be watching on TBS, even with the damn commercials...especially after a double bill of Demolition Man and Ricochet.
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...and they write for THE SHIELD and PRISON BREAK, I no longer fear this project. My brother and I are huge Punisher fans, and big fans of those two shows, and we have often said that the people behind them would make kickass Punisher writers. As long as Lionsgate doesn't fuck 'em.
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Green Streets wasnt that bad. It gives Americans to get a little taste of what its like for rabid football (soccer) fans. Most Americans are fairweather fans so it was good to see a different side of things. By the way most Americans cant tell if the British accent, cockney or not, is correct.
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300 got it right.lionsgate take note.brutal and no humour.franks a killing machine on a mission.you'll have a hit on your hands.
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