On discussing the tone of 2 Guns, Kormákur says he felt comic book movies are starting to take themselves too seriously. "Watching some of these comic-book movies — and this is based on a comic-book — I felt some of them have taken themselves very serious lately. It’s [supposed to be] make-believe fun. We are watching a movie; don’t forget it. At the same time, these guys aren’t on horses inside of a train jumping out, you know. [That's a shot at Disney's Lone Ranger]"
Kormákur goes on to reveal that Wahlberg initially wanted to play Bobby, Denzel's role in the film. "Actually, he was going to play Bobby, but I convinced him [to play Stig]. The great thing about Mark — he’s a producer, therefore he’s not necessarily from an egotistical place of mind like, “I’ve got to play that role because that’s more central.” He’s more like, “Let’s find a way to make this happen.” For me, there was no other way. Stig was the only way it could go for me. Because Bobby may be lying closer to what he had been [playing]. He’d already done Contraband, and I felt Bobby may be closer to that character in some way than Stig. I knew, in some ways, Mark would like to be seen as closer to Bobby [laughs]… maybe. But there’s another side of Mark, which is more out there and crazy, you know, from his younger days. He is a bit of a loose cannon, and that’s what I love about him. I know Mark’s a great improvisor. People probably don’t realize just how good. I just through he would be more perfect for the part [of Stig]."
Kormákur also states that he and Wahlberg have begun initial discussions about a sequel to 2 Guns but they haven't looked at the financial aspects of such a venture. The film earned $131.4M worldwide on a $61M production budget. Not bad, but those certainly aren't numbers that would make a sequel a no-brainer. That said, I enjoyed 2 Guns and would definitely see another. Creator Steven Grant has already penned a sequel to the original comic book with artist Emilio Laiso. The aptly titled 3 Guns is an ongoing monthly for Boom! Studios.
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2 Guns will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on November 19.
Running Time: 1 hr 49 minutes
Release Date: August 2 2013 (US)
MPAA Rating: This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated
Starring: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, James Marsden
Directed by: Baltazar Kormakur
Written by: Steven Grant (comic book) Blake Masters (screenplay)
"Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg lead an all-star cast in “2 Guns,” an explosive action film that tracks two operatives from competing bureaus who are forced on the run together. But there is a big problem with their unique alliance: Neither knows that the other is an undercover federal agent.
For the past 12 months, DEA agent Bobby Trench (Washington) and U.S. naval intelligence officer Marcus Stigman (Wahlberg) have been reluctantly attached at the hip. Working undercover as members of a narcotics syndicate, each man distrusts his partner as much as the criminals they have both been tasked to take down.
When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, Trench and Stigman are suddenly disavowed by their superiors. Now that everyone wants them in jail or in the ground, the only person they can count on is the other. Unfortunately for their pursuers, when good guys spend years pretending to be bad, they pick up a few tricks along the way."