In an interview over at Comic Book Resources, the duo who have been writing Jonah Hex for over 5 years, talk about visiting the set of the movie and share their thoughts on both it, the comic book and the adaptations cast. Below are some of the main highlights of that interview, but for the full version, just click the link at the bottom of the page!
On the differences between the comic book and movie:
Palmiotti: "You get the major differences right away in the trailer. The movie Hex talks to the dead, has surreal weapons and is a bigger and broader make up of the comic character."
Gray: "When you're looking at making a wide release feature film, you have to appeal to as many people as possible and as I've said many times before a western is a hard sell regardless of the medium. With the monthly book we write, readers get a mash-up of straight western with spaghetti and grindhouse, stories that have a pulp nature, but are firmly rooted in the realism of the old west. I really think the way the film is shot and the differences will appeal to a young audience, and that's what makes sense in terms of marketing."
On the look and feel of the movie:
Gray: "I really think Jimmy Hayward was going for an action-driven spaghetti western that embraces the core emotional elements of who Hex is. Granted, the film alters some of the core mythology, and that might not sit well with all fans of the comic, but believe me, fans should be rooting for the film to do well because it will help ensure they get their monthly Hex fix."
On Thomas Jane wanting the role and Josh Brolin eventually getting it:
Palmiotti: "Thomas would have been amazing. I think he is a fantastic actor and really gets the character and showed how much he loved it by trying to get the part. I am happy to say he got to record Jonah's voice for the animated short. As far as Josh, we got to see him act his ass off and he is just brilliant in the part: funny, mean and insane looking. Everything we were looking for in an actor. No matter how the film plays, what we saw is amazing. Josh nailed it out of the gate."
On Megan Fox:
Palmiotti: "I think almost any beautiful person in the entertainment business has the public pick on them at one point or another. I also think it's just stupid to pan anything you haven't seen yet, but of all of Megan's roles, this one is her biggest to date as far as screen time and playing with the big boys. I met her at Comic-Con, she was super nice to me, we spoke about the role and that was it. I personally don't care how beautiful she is, all I care about is how she will be in that part - a very important part, I might add, in the big picture of things. I think not only will she be good in this movie, but she has the chops and is still growing as an actor. I would hire her to play a character of mine any day."
On what the movie means to the ongoing comic book series:
Palmiotti: "The movie raises public awareness of the character, got us to write an original graphic novel and get it in bookstores, got a lot of foreign markets to take a good look at the comic and start translating them in different countries and if the movie does well, it looks like not only will there be a sequel, but we might have the chance to pick the numbers up some and be around for a few more years without the cloud of cancellation hanging over us. If the movie doesn't do well, it's business as usual for us, and again, more people know who Jonah is. It never hurts."
Gray: "We just want to keep delivering enjoyable and thought-provoking Jonah Hex stories, and the movie is a big step in that direction. I like everyone involved in the film, Warners and DC have been amazing to us and to work with. DC Entertainment is doing some amazing things to bring their characters into the public light where they belong because they're our pop culture. The better those films and TV shows featuring your favorite DC characters do the better it is for comics. So get your butts to the theaters on June 18."
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