Published just over a year ago but pitched around Hollywood for nearly a decade beforehand, Platinum Studios’ “Cowboys and Aliens” comic has been the subject of considerable discussion ever since it was optioned well in advance of its first issue hitting shelves — and even moreso when it was announced in June that “Iron Man” star Robert Downey Jr. was attached to star in the film.
The timeline of this big-screen deal ushered in much of the modern debate over comics’ use as stepping stones to television, film or video game properties, and Platinum has since become one of the most prominent companies to make a name for itself buying up the rights to comics with print publication as a secondary goal to big- or small-screen development.
MTV News spoke with “Iron Man” writers Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, the duo charged with adapting “Cowboys and Aliens” for film to get an update on the project, the rising star of the project’s lead actor and what theater-goers can expect to see in the film.
“As far as we know, it’s all a go,” Ostby told MTV. “We’re just hoping it does because it felt like the right time for this kind of film and I just want to see how we’ll pull off all the cool stuff in it. It’s ridiculous. It’s one of those movies that every idea that you can come up with is actually something you can pull off these days. There’s no reason to edit yourself.”
But now that Downey Jr. is the star of a bona fide comics blockbuster with sequels on the way, have Iron Man’s repulsor rays pushed him out of “Cowboys and Aliens”?
“It’s not an official thing, but I think what they’re getting into now is a timetable for all these things,” said Fergus. “Probably in a little while we’ll know for sure what’s what.”
“We finished our draft and it all seems to be a go in terms of casting,” added Ostby. “I think Robert’s doing ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Iron Man 2′ next year, so that’s thankfully someone else’s problem to figure out how to make all that work, but the script is done…”
As far as the tone of the film, Fergus said it will follow in the “great Spielberg tradition of ‘Raiders [of the Lost Ark]‘ — with a great sense of humor, great sense of fun, and yet total adventure story.”
“We always said [that] when we went in and pitched this,” added Fergus, “not just because Spielberg was in the room and we were kissing up, but we really believe that probably is the greatest action-adventure movie ever made, [and] the fun you have in that movie while still being on this scary ride is just unbelievable and very hard to do.”
The “Cowboys and Aliens” comic can be read in its entirety online at webcomics host Drunk Duck.
Are you looking forward to “Cowboys and Aliens”, readers? Do you think the film — and/or Robert Downey Jr.’s involvement in it — will be worth the wait? Let us know with your comments!
