Director Jon Favreau Discusses NBC's New Sci-Fi Series REVOLUTION
Iron Man director Jon Favreau talks about bringing Tolkien-esque landscapes and swashbuckling adventure to sci-fi as the director of the pilot for Revolution.
Jon Favreau is revered in comic book circles for bringing a B-list superhero like Iron Man to the fore while simultaneously resurrecting the career of Robert Downey, Jr. and, ultimately, paving the way for the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Avengers. Favreau took some flack from the fans for Iron Man 2 and then stumbled a bit with Cowboys and Aliens, but Favreau's still as active, motivated and in-tune with fan culture as he ever was. He's currently developing an ambitious fantasy adventure for Disney called Magic Kingdom and he directed the pilot episode for Lost creator J.J. Abrams' new post-apocalyptic sci-fi series, Revolution, debuting on Monday. IGN caught up with Favreau to talk about the message of Revolution and how it will stack up against other post-apocalyptic TV shows like The Walking Dead.
Favreau said that his hope for Revolution is for fans to look to it as a means of escaping from their "day-to-day problems."
I would love it to be escapism. The best type of escapism is something where you enjoy watching it because it takes your mind off of your day-to-day problems or struggles. You get to live in another world for an hour once a week, and speaks to the better part of human nature and that there are actually strong themes that have a hopeful message in light of this very dangerous and potentially depressing set of circumstances. I want it to be an uplifting story that we’re telling, in a world that you enjoy going back to and don’t feel like you have to escape from. That’s an exciting challenge.
To help set Revolution apart from other post-apocalyptic shows on TV right now, Favreau said that they tried to give the show "its own signature" look.
Some of it was the nature of the characters that Eric wrote, some of it was just the simple aesthetic of that lush, romantic, beautifully backlit fantasy world that hopefully looks like something out of Tolkien — an American spin on that. Then also the weapons that you let them use in the rules of the show. Most of the firearms are black powder, which if you look at the Civil War, they’re good for one or two shots and then you’ve got to affix your bayonets. Any excuse to back ourselves into sword fights on staircases and swinging from chandeliers and kicking over burning braziers — that’s the stuff that excites me, and you never get to tell that story. Jackson’s gotten to do it with the Tolkien stuff, and to some extent it’s coming back with The Hunger Games, with the bows and arrows and stuff. But again, that’s a more violent, scary take in many ways. We want it to be escapist, action-adventure.
Here's the synopsis of Revolution, followed by the full-length pilot episode:
A family struggles to reunite in an American landscape where every single piece of technology — computers, planes, cars, phones, even lights - has mysteriously blacked out forever. A drama with sweeping scope and intimate focus, Revolution is also about family — both the family you're born into and the family you choose. This is a swashbuckling journey of hope and rebirth seen through the eyes of one strong-willed young woman, Charlie Matheson (Tracy Spiridakos), and her brother Danny (Graham Rogers). When Danny is kidnapped by militia leaders for a darker purpose, Charlie must reconnect with her estranged uncle Miles (Billy Burke), a former U.S. Marine living a reclusive life. Together, with a rogue band of survivors, they set out to rescue Danny, overthrow the militia and ultimately re-establish the United States of America. All the while, they explore the enduring mystery of why the power failed, and if — or how — it will ever return.
Revolution was created by Eric Kripke for the NBC network. The series is set to debut on Monday, September 17, 2012, at 10:00 pm/9:00 pm CT.
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