With movies and TV shows based on comics unavoidable no matter where you turn, I’ve often wondered why there aren’t more indie movies based on indie comics. Part of the reason is that it’s just so darned hard to fund any indie movie any more. But it does happen. And if you had reminded me that Officer Downe, the one shot comic by Joe Casey and Chris Burnham was being actually made, with Slipnot’s main clown Shawn Crahan directing, I would have said “oh yeah, April Fools.” Not because it isn’t good source material but it sounds so darned unlikely.
But nope, the film is BEING MADE AS WE SPEAK, with filming underway in LA. Casey is co-creator/screenwriter/producer and his Man of Action cohorts (Steve Seagle, Duncan Rouleau and Joe Kelly) are producers via Man of Action Entertainment. Other producers include Skip Williamson (Underworld), Mark Neveldine (Crank), Cole Payne (Downloading Nancy) and Cory Brennan (Slipknot manager). Voltage Pictures is repping the film internationally. The cast includes Kim Coates as Officer Downe, Tyler Ross (Zombieland, American Milkshake) as Officer Gable, Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy), Lauren Velez (Dexter) as Police Chief Berringer, and Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly) and Bruno Gunn (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) as Officers Carter and Fritch.
The film as with the comic, involves an LA cop who keeps dying and coming back on the streets to fight crime.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better group of actors here. They way they’re all bringing the thunder, we’re absolutely gonna melt brains with this flick,” said Casey in a statement.
Man of Action got a huge amount of notice as the creators of Big Hero Six, but they have also produced many many comics, as well as many many episodes of Spiderman, the Avengers and so on. And, oh yeah, created Ben 10 and Generator Rex. Casey himself has amassed quite a body of very quirky work, including Sex, Gødland, Butcher, Baker the Righteous Maker and Nixon’s Pals (also with Burnham). Add it all together and you’ll think, it’s about time someone made a movie based on a Joe Casey comic! If you’re looking for the Earth-One Mark Millar, he could be your guy.
Fellow MoA Joe Kelly’s I Kill Giants was recently put into production with Anders Walter directing. Lots of action with those Man of Actioners.
I had to do a little digging to figure out that Kim Coates is playing Officer Downe himself. (I thought it was strange that this didn’t mention who was playing the lead!)
I’m glad that Chris Burnham stands to get some movie money and another boost to his steadily growing reputation as a top-tier artist, but Crahen’s involvement is a big ol’ red flag. I can definitely see this turning into a humorless splatterfest.