Former rapper turned actor Mark Wahlberg is to play Max Payne on the silver screen.
Reported on Variety, the move adaptation of the gritty bullet-dodging action series will begin shooting next year, and will be directed by John Moore, whose directing credits include Behind Enemy Lines.
"It's the worst news I've heard in my life", PC Zone's Will Porter declared when we shouted across the office that Wahlberg is to play the man with nothing to lose.
Question is, will he carry the permanent expression of needing a really good shit?
We're also wondering whether this means a third Max Payne game is on the offing. It's been some time, after all, since The Fall of Max Payne released.
payback with good old mel gibson is basically max payne. same noir settings and feel and it has a kind of blue tint over the lens to give it this effect. and the overvoice narration. same thing man. check it out, decent film actually.
Except the Mel Gibson as a bad guy bit. That was pap.
Shame, I always pictured Payne played by Michael Madsen. He's got the voice and the hair already Just a shame he was probably too old to be considered.
I reckon Stephen Dorff would be just right for the role, check him in p**s-poor b-movie fear dot com, he actually looks almost identical to Max as he is in Max Payne 2 and he does a fine job of putting on the "trying to squeeze one out" look!
I actually think its quite good news. Sure, there are probably better people to play the roll and they didnt have to hire in a big star to get the audiences. ( The Movie is after all about Max Payne )
However at the same time, I think Mark Walburg is a really good actor and would be quite suited to the roll. I personally look forward to seeing how it turns out.
Does anyone else think that a Max Payne movie is completely unnecessary? The whole point of the game was to emulate the film noir style in a computer game, making it unique, at least at the time. Surely if this is made into a film it will just be like any other action film of this style (but s**t cause, you know... video game film)
In regards to who should play Max, Michael Madsen would be a great choice. Don't know about Mark Walburg, can't think of any film I've seen him.
Yes! Michael Madsen would be perfect in the role. He might be a bit podgy for it these days mind...
The problem with Michael Madsen is, quite like with John Travolta, that it's Michael Madsen playing himself - there's never much distinction between the characters he plays as he barely makes any effort.
The same can be said about a load of actors, but that's why they get chosen for the parts they do. Hugh Grant being my personal beating block.
But the character(s) that Madsen plays would fit exactly with who Max Payne is, so the fact that it's technically the same as other parts he's played wouldn't really matter. Maybe it's because he looks and sounds like a gangster. And although I bet nobody's heard of it, I loved Vengeance Unlimited back in the day
The movie probably is a bit pointless though, to be honest. Fingers crossed it should transfer to the silver screen fairly well since the game was designed that way. Unless the director screws it up, in which case there will be bloodshed
I am very keen on the idea of a Max Payne movie as Max Payne is my favourite PC game of all time. I can see it working with Mark Whalberg so long as we don't get a thick New York accent.
I disagree with Michael Madsen because he already has that "don't F with me" vibe. In my mind, the character of Max Payne starts out as a regular Joe but due to what happens to his family, he becomes this unstoppable, killing machine. For that reason, someone like Whalberg (who has demonstrated both abilities) could pull it off. He was good in "Shooter" and, I find "The Big Hit" an enjoyable movie too largely thanks to him.
I hope they don't screw this one up. I wasn't pleased when I heard what they were doing to Postal but that was going to suck anyway. They could have at least made it suck in a way that's worth watching.
Max Payne has such a perfect Noir style they could ruin if they aren't careful.
Does anyone else think that a Max Payne movie is completely unnecessary? The whole point of the game was to emulate the film noir style in a computer game, making it unique, at least at the time. Surely if this is made into a film it will just be like any other action film of this style (but s**t cause, you know... video game film)
In regards to who should play Max, Michael Madsen would be a great choice. Don't know about Mark Walburg, can't think of any film I've seen him.
Yep, I agree that it's totally unneccessary. I think Madsen would be a bad choice TBH, I just can't sympathise with him at all.
Someone over on Dear Wandy has suggessted Christian Bale - great choice I think!
I agree, he'd fit quite well.
As for Wahlberg, meh, I guess he'll do. Just as long as he doesn't get his prosthetic shlong out...
The only good thing I can see coming from this film is that it might prove the impetus for a third game - although the idea of a Max Payne movie spin-off sends shivers down my spine.
And the reason I don't think Wahlberg is the right choice to play Payne is more his age than his ability.
Max CAN ONLY be played by the bloke who played Richard Hillman in Corrie. Otherwise it's just wrong...
Only Sam Lake can be Max Payne... The move to Hillman is like the move to Banderas in Desperado from that unknown guy in El Mariachi. Still, they could have done a lot worse with the MP casting, and here's to the next MP game, hard to believe MP2 could deliver an even better experience than MP1, but it was pitch perfect, and inspite of it being short, the perfect length. And let's face it, Stranglehold was decent, but far too loose to trouble MP 1+2's perfection. I hear the Kung Fu mod calling me yet again...
Max CAN ONLY be played by the bloke who played Richard Hillman in Corrie. Otherwise it's just wrong...
Just what I was thinking when I saw this news. I've always thought that since playing Max Payne 2. Of course in the first Max Payne he looked younger and thinner faced. In fact, I always received the impression that the people playing the parts in the 1st game were just people 'from the office', perhaps people who actually made the game. Those in the 2nd game looked far more like 'proper' actors.
As far as I'm concerned, the closest I will probably ever see to a good version of Max Payne on screen has already been made- Sin City. I expect nothing but disappointment from the Max Payne film. If the film-makers take a leaf out of the Silent Hill film, which was pretty good except for some dodgy acting, then they will learn that to make a great film of a videogame you have to treat it like a videogame, not a film. You have to stop putting explosions on the screen all the time and allow your character to wander around, taking in the atmosphere of his location, seemingly aimlessly wondering what to do next, solving obscure puzzles and barely talking at all. Film bosses probably won't allow this as it would look 'weird' but it's the closest faithful way to make a film of a videogame.
You might as well play the videogame as it'll be interactive as well.
I really don't see why people are getting wound up about Mark playing this role. I personally think it is good casting. Those mocking the choice, have you seen the recent film, Shooter, which is very good, and Whalberg is excellent. He also came up with an Exec produces Entourage, which in my opinion is the best comedy currently on bar none. So give it a chance, we all know game movies are generally crap, but at least this one has a good actor attached to it.
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or Tom Cruise
Just a shame he was probably too old to be considered.
