Last month, TV helmer Brian Kirk was passed up for “Thor 2” directing duties in favor of “Monster” director, Patty Jenkins. Now, Kirk is moving on to less-CGI filled pastures, signing on to direct “Midnight Delivery,” a film about a father who must become a drug mule in order to save his son. It would be awesome if this were one of those foreign-language films directed by an English-speaking director (ala “Maria Full of Grace”), but we wouldn’t bet on it, as it’s being financed by a major, Universal.
It is strange for Universal to get behind such a commercially challenging story (feels more like a Focus film), but producer Guillermo del Toro’s association with the project could offer clues. Earlier this year, Universal pulled the plug on del Toro’s $150 million R-rated adaptation of “At the Mountains of Madness.” Perhaps ‘Midnight’ is a peace offering.
This project feels like a better fit for Kirk than “Thor 2.” The director has worked on such HBO programs as “Boardwalk Empire” and “Game of Thrones,” as well as one previous feature film, 2006’s “Middletown,” which won 2nd place at the Galway Film Fleadh (not a typo).
Fresh off executive producing “Kung-Fu Panda 2” and “Puss in Boots” (what is that all about?), it will be nice to see del Toro influencing a grown-up/live-action film for a change (he was also a creative consultant on “Megamind”). And no, we didn’t forget about his work on “Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark” but we’d prefer not to remember it.
There is no casting news for the “Midnight Delivery” yet, but the picture is eyeing a shoot sometime next year. Kirk also recently landed the director’s chair of the long developing Tom Cruise rodeo drama “Paper Wings,” so no word yet which of these might go first. [Variety]