Fred Van Lente is a New York Times bestselling author and comic book writer. Some of his most notable work is with Marvel where he has written titles such as Incredible Hercules, Marvel Zombies, X-Men: Noir, Amazing Spider-Man and Halo: Blood Line. His original graphic novel Cowboys & Aliens (co-written with Andrew Foley) is being adapted into motion picture by DreamWorks directed by Iron Man 2‘s Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford.
When I recently contacted Fred, he was kind enough to share his thoughts with me on the upcoming Cowboys and Aliens movie, the possibility of a Marvel Zombies adaptation and who he thinks should play Hercules and Ares! Check out the interview below and have your say in the usual place!
As co-author of Cowboys and Aliens are you looking forward to seeing Jon Favreau's adaptation when it's released next year?
Very much so! They seem to have a really smart take on the material.
What do you think of the casting choices so far? (Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde etc) Are they how you imagined them while writing the comic?
Well, I can't say I imagine any actor for any particular role when writing a comic. Because it's my job to work with the artist to visualize a character in a specific way, cleaving toward a well-known face can be counterproductive and dilute my guy or gal's unique appearance.
Recently I compared the look of a famous Marvel villain who we see unmasked for the first time in a series I'm doing to Darwyn Cooke's depiction of Richard Stark's Parker. That's about as close to "casting" a specific actor I've done in a while.
But the cast so far for Cowboys & Aliens is terrific -- and I love Sam Rockwell, so it's great he's joined the film too.
Have you been involved with the movie at all?
Platinum has been great about keeping me appraised of the casting choices and story changes as the production moves along.
Some of your most notable work has also included writing Marvel Zombies 3 & 4. Is that a series that you'd like to see adapted onto the big screen?
That would be a tough one to pull off, particularly since different studios would have different rights to Zombie Spider-Man, Zombie Daredevil, Zombie X-Men, Zombie Hulk, et cetera. Although the basic idea of Marvel Zombies 3 -- wise-cracking robot takes on zombie hordes -- could make a great comedy/horror/action film. But I demand points on the back end!
Hercules is another character that you've done a fair bit of work with. Would you like to see a movie featuring the character? And do you have any ideas who'd be a good choice to play him?
I think the premise of Incredible Hercules, with this boozy legendary demigod training a teenager to be his replacement in modern-day America, could make a terrific, fun, summer blockbuster in the Men in Black/Ghostbusters fame.
I would have Seth Rogen play Hercules. I'm totally serious. Or Jack Black. Somebody who looks like they spent too much time in the tavern.
And Ares? Picture Vin Diesel in that helmet and tell me that would not kick ass.
Can you give us any hints for what to expect from your work on that title or any others in the future?
I have a brand-new story arc in Web of Spider-Man going on right now, "The Extremist," in which a super powered assassin has his sights set on Mayor J. Jonah Jameson, and the only person who can save him is -- guess who -- Mr. Threat or Menace himself.
To hear Fred’s thoughts on the upcoming
Spider-Man movie reboot, click
HERE, and to find out more about the writer and his work then just click
HERE! Thanks again to Fred for taking the time to talk to me and be sure to pick up
Web of Spider-Man #8 which is on sale now!