While
chatting with CBR about his latest comic book, The Secret Service, a collaboration with artist Dave Gibbons, Mark Millar also spoke about how the concept of the film came about and where the production currently stands. On developing the project, Millar stated, "The Secret Service" actually started back in 2008, believe it or not. I remember Matthew [Vaughn] and I were in the pub around the time the first "Kick-Ass" movie filmed and just talking about films, as we do most days." He continued, "He'd been talking to the Bond people about doing "Casino Royale" at one point, and we were both saying how it was weird that in a Bond reboot, an origin of sorts, they didn't really do Bond's origin. It's a brilliant movie and no harm intended, but we were both just saying it was a shame that the 00 status he's given in the opening wasn't maybe a first act or maybe even an entire movie and that conversation was really the genesis of the whole idea."
Filming on
The Secret Service has progressed pretty far but Millar says his workload on the production is heaviest before and after filming is complete. Millar also shared his enthusiasm for the impressive cast assembled which includes Samuel L. Jackson (Captain America: The Winter Solider), Colin Firth (The King's Speech), Taron Egerton (Inspector Lewis) and Michael Caine (The Dark Knight Rises). "Taron is exactly Gary Unwin. Without question. He just looks like Dave's drawing come to life. Colin, likewise, looks like he's stepped out of the comic. It's just fantastic and having a couple of Oscar winners like he and Michael Caine just gives this project such a huge gravitas. Sam's character in the book is more of a Mark Zuckerberg character, an internet entrepreneur who falls for this big global warming concern that's genuinely given me sleepless nights since I first read James Lovelock's "Gaia" books in my twenties. We talked about a lot of young, 20-something actors, but really there was nobody available who felt right and this part really needed a big American movie star since so many of the other parts are British. But then Matthew buzzed me up and suggested Sam Jackson, and it clicked into place. When he read out the dialogue in Sam Jackson's voice, this great scene he and Jane wrote between Sam's character and Colin Firth's, I could totally see it."
And is there a chance of a sequel? "Well, Matthew, Dave and I have had a couple of ideas, which are very interesting, but there's only so many hours in a day and I've really been focusing on other stuff at the moment. The whole Millarworld Universe thing is kicking off in March, and 'Jupiter's Legacy' and 'Kick-Ass 3' are wrapping up as well as launching all the new titles...Matthew's really keen to turn this into a franchise though. He's producing "Superior" next, though we haven't decided on a director yet, so I guess it'll be a little while before we can all sit around a table and plan anything else with these characters. The movie, I think, is going to be massive and it'll be lovely to have that out there again giving the book a nice big mainstream profile."
The Secret Service is currently set for release in North America on March 6, 2015.
RELATED CONTENT:
Director Matthew Vaughn To Pen Script For Mark Millar's The Secret Service
Mark Millar Says THE SECRET SERVICE Movie Is His Version Of S.H.I.E.L.D., Mark Hamill To Have A Pivotal Role
Leonardo DiCaprio In Talks For THE SECRET SERVICE?