Credit to Todd McFarlane — he’s been dreaming making a “Spawn” movie the way he feels his character deserves, and as he approaches sixty years old, he’s getting his chance thanks to Blumhouse Productions. The budget will be microscopic — $10 million — but it will allow the comic creator make the dark, R-rated movie he wants, and one in which the title character will hardly be in the movie. Despite being called “Spawn,” the brewing movie has more in common with a breakthrough Steven Spielberg blockbuster than you might think.
“I like to explain that it’s my ‘Jaws.’ Spawn doesn’t say a word the entire movie, and it’s the same way with ‘Jaws.’ It’s about the sheriff and the people, chasing the ghost,” McFarlane told AZ Central. “That’s it…The lead role isn’t Spawn, the lead role is a cop, like Sheriff Brody from ‘Jaws.’ I think we can hook a fairly significant actor that we want. Unlike a superhero movie, we wouldn’t need an actor to put on prosthetic (makeup) or go to the gym. We just need him to act.”
From a production standpoint, it’s a canny way to approach the character and keep costs down, but can you really sell a “Spawn” movie without much Spawn? Guess we’ll find out. But everything about the movie will be more unusual than your standard comic book fare, and that’s just the way McFarlane wants it.
“We just signed off on the script, and are going into budgeting. We’re also having our casting meeting…It will be dark and heavy, serious, R-rated. It won’t be a superhero movie. I don’t think most people would categorize it as that,” he explained. “It will be a supernatural thriller, like a lot of good creep movies. The only thing in the movie that’s fantastic is Spawn, and anything else is otherwise normal.”
The story will tackle “true trauma,” and while “Deadpool” and “Logan” both boasted R-ratings, McFarlane says his picture is nothing like them.
The film is still without a cast or release date, but it sounds like things are moving right along. Any “Spawn” fans in the house? Share your thoughts below.