While promoting “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” at MTV, Seth Rogen was asked about his “Green Hornet” project, slated for June 2010. The script, which he compared to “True Lies” in tone, has apparently undergone significant revisions to make it more of an origins story.
Why? “No one gives a shit”, he told MTV. “There was, like, three people [who care about ‘Hornet’]. It [had to be] somewhat of [an origin story then]. We didn’t intend it to be one, but we realized that no one knows anything about the Green Hornet, and it actually became more confusing than anything that we didn’t include somewhat of an origin story. We realized through people being very confused with our screenplay that we should probably include somewhat of an origin in it.”
True. The masked crime fighter has been in existence since the 1930s, but never managed to garner the fanfare of say, other masked rich guys getting their superhero on at night. The Green Hornet himself is Britt Reid, a newspaper man by day who fights crime with his Asian sidekick Kato, drives a souped up car called Black Beauty and occasionally sprays knock-out gas at enemies.
The origins of the Hornet may need further clarification, but the history of the project is well documented. The film has been in development since the mid 90s, changing hands numerous times since then. George Clooney was at one point attached to star, Michel Gondry took a shot at the script, and most recently Kevin Smith (who just worked with Rogen on ‘Zack and Miri’) had the rights, with Jake Gyllenhaal rumored as the lead. Finally Rogen was announced to star and pen the script with frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg, and just last month, zany, esoteric, Chinese filmmaker Stephen Chow came on board to direct and play Kato. Chow is most recently known for “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle.”
Asked if Chow’s direction would play the story more for absurdity rather than realism, Rogen offered more insight in to pre-production on the script. “We’re figuring out now what exactly the reality level is and exactly how to let [Stephen] have fun, but [at the same time] do something that’s accessible to American audiences. [But] I gotta be honest. We are, like, literally in the process of having those conversations right now. We’re at the very early phases.”
“Zach and Miri Make a Porno” opens next Friday, October 31st. “Green Hornet” is tentative for June 2010, and sometime in between then you can hopefully expect to see Rogen in Jody Hill’s “Observe and Report”, the animated “Monsters vs Aliens” and Judd Apatow’s “Funny People”.