CBR: Russell Goes from "The Fighter" to "2 Guns"

[CBR News]

"The Fighter" director David O. Russell is in negotiations to rewrite and direct an adaptation of the BOOM! Studios comic by Steven Grant and Mataes Santolouco with Vince Vaughn in the lead.


Full article here.

[FanboyStranger]

I just picked up Two Guns at my LCS for $3 two weeks ago. It's a great story, perhaps the best work that Steven Grant has done since Badlands. (The art was decent, but not really the style I would have liked for the book.) I've been thinking for the last week that this could make a great movie, but I don't think Vince Vaughn would be right for either of the main roles. After his take in The Town, I think Ben Affleck might be a good choice for the role of the Naval Intelligence officer and maybe Charlie Hunnam from Sons of Anarchy as the DEA agent.

I do like David O Russell movies.

[Congo Jack]

I haven't read 2 GUNS, but from what I've heard, it would definitely be something I'd be looking to pick up. I'm looking forward to seeing THE FIGHTER soon as well.

I've been thinking for the last week that this could make a great movie, but I don't think Vince Vaughn would be right for either of the main roles.

From a purely superficial level, doesn't the character of Bobby as described by Steven Grant sound like a role Vince Vaughn was born to play?

I think at heart Bobby's a born con artist. That doesn't mean he's not also a nice guy, but he's always scoping the angles... always thinks he's the one in control of the situation even while he's convincing you that you are, and it comes as a big shock to him - panic, even - when he learns he isn't. For Bobby loss of control is the biggest terror there is. If there's a major difference between Bobby and Marcus, it's that Marcus likes to work from a script, while Bobby's most at home making it up as he goes along... Bobby plays it off the cuff, which is why he hooks up with Marcus, and why he thinks he can 'play' The Scowl for help.

Newsarama > Talking 2 GUNS, part I - Steven Grant

[FanboyStranger]

Definitely pick up Two Guns if you can. Like I said, it may be the best thing that Grant has written since Badlands, and I hold Badlands in very high regard.

I guess that description of Trench does suggest that Vaughn might be ablle to pull it off, but I when I read the story, Trench seemed a different character to me. He's a wise-ass, a little oblivious of the big picture, but also very disciplined in his own right. (Just not compared to Steadman.) He's not really a loose cannon who cracks wise-- he's a dedicated DEA agent in over his head looking for any way out. I like Vaughn, but the characters he nearly always plays are just sh!t-talkers-- funny sh!t-talkers, to be sure, but never really seeming like they're in control of any situation. Trench seems more than that to me. (I suggested Hunnam because he looks like Trench, and he's shown that he can be a ball-buster, lothario, and bad-ass on SoA. Certainly not as big a name as Vaughn, which is why I suggested Affleck to carry the "star" quota.) I also can't get Vaughn in Mr. and Mrs. Smith out of mind when I think about this, which doesn't help me picturing him as Trench.

If David O Russell is directing this, though, no character is going to be one-dimensional. He might be able to have Vaughn stretch a bit from his default performances over the past decade.

[Mr_Wayne]

Sounds like an awesome book and film idea.

[Congo Jack]

Director David O. Russell and actor Vince Vaughn have dropped out of 2 Guns as Mark Wahlberg enters final negotiations to star in Universal’s adaptation of a Boom! Studios comic book.

The studio picked up the project in August 2008 as a vehicle for Vaughn, who was attached to star in the story of a DEA agent and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer who are unwittingly investigating each other and who steal mob money for the good guys. The duo realizes later that the mob actually got them to steal $50 million from the CIA.

Earlier this year, Russell (The Fighter) came on board to rewrite and direct the film, but sources say the Oscar-nominated director fell off the project due to was scheduling differences. Universal is eying a winter start for 2 Guns, and Russell would be still be working on The Silver Linings Playbook, his drama starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Now neither Russell, nor Vaughn, the star of the recent Universal flop The Dilemma, are involved in the film. The studio is focusing on a previous draft of the script, written by Blake Masters.

Marc Platt is producing with Boom! co-founders Andrew Cosby and Ross Richie.

The comic was written by Steven Grant with art by Mat Santolouco.

David O. Russell, Vince Vaughn Drop Out of Universal's '2 Guns' As Mark Wahlberg Joins

[Congo Jack]

Denzel Washington, whose most recent action effort Safe House premieres in New York tonight, is in discussions to take on another action drama involving Universal Pictures. He’s in early talks to join Mark Wahlberg in 2 Guns, a film that’s based on a Steven Grant graphic novel published by Boom! Studios. Baltasar Kormakur will direct the film. He’s coming off the Universal remake of his own film Contraband, which starred Wahlberg. The script was written by Blake Masters.

Denzel Washington In Talks To Star In ’2 Guns’ With Mark Wahlberg For Universal