Comic Vine News

28 Comments

Greg Rucka's "Queen & Country" To Get Film Adaptation

by on

The Oni Press comic book series will be picked up by FOX


Tara Chace

  Oni Press has joined the ranks of many comic book publishing companies that have allowed their creator owned ideas to make their transition to the big screen! The latest adaptation will be Queen & Country, written by Greg Rucka which consisted of 37 issues launched in March 2001, and ended in August 2007. The series was centered around Tara Chace, a Specials Ops agent for the SIS (British Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI-6). The plot places a heavy focus on the realities and political push and pull that real SIS agents have to face as well the various dangerous missions they are forced to confront. The concept likens her to a female version of James Bond, and the volumes have been translated into various languages. 
 
While I myself  am not exactly familiar with the comic book series (for shame!) any plot line that has a female character kicking a lot of butt sounds like a good read to me. The script will be written by Ryan Condel who wrote the script for Galahad last year.  The film will more than likely require an actress with a powerful on screen presence that can headline a film. It was previously rumored that Nicole Kidman would take the helm, but it seems those rumors have died out. Who do you think could play the role of Tara Chace? Do you think that FOX could turn this comic book into a successful film?
Filed under:
Tara Chace
Queen & Country
28 Comments
Posted by Bruce Vain

Can't say that I've ever read this  series. But I always hear good things about it.

Posted by Decept-O

Like you, Babs, I'd heard about this title, seen it floating around but never picked it up.  However its great that this will be adapted into a movie, hope it does well, like the sound of it.   
 
I think they should use a blonde British bird for the role, would only be right. 
Posted by NightFang

They should get Angelina Jolie to play Tara.    

Edited by AngelFrost

Never heard of this before, but it seems like it could make an awesome movie. :) So yeah, I'll definately see it. 
 
and I think everyone knows of my love for Emily Blunt
So, I think Emily should play the main character. 
She is a true, British actress. Great at her job and would look sexy as a blonde.
 

 

 

 
Posted by Media_Master

A female bond-like character sounds cool

Posted by Babs
@AngelFrost: Can someone like Emily carry an entire film like that? I've only ever seen her as a supporting actress. I'm not doubting her capabilities, I am simply questioning her popularity.
Staff
Posted by AngelFrost
@Babs:  Well she has stared in 'The Young Victoria'  and 'Wind Chill'   although those aren't very known movies. But she can definately carry a movie from what  I've seen. :)  And she was going to play Black Widow in Iron Man 2,  which shows that she is ready for an action-type role.  It's all just my opinion, but I think she'd be perfect.
 
I just prefer to see an actual, english actress. Not some American wannabe.
Posted by FoxxFireArt
@Babs said:

" @AngelFrost: Can someone like Emily carry an entire film like that? I've only ever seen her as a supporting actress. I'm not doubting her capabilities, I am simply questioning her popularity. "

Every actress at some point needs a chance to cut her teeth on taking the major seat in a movie and not always be a supportive or background character. Look at all the people we were introduced to in the Lord of the Rings films. That series was really Orlando Blooms first real big movie.
 
Look at movies like Harry Potter. The production company originally wanted Haley Joel Osment to take on Harry. Instead they picked a child no one had ever heard of. The irony is that one of the most popular actors in that series, such as Alan Rickman (love his work), plays more supportive roles. Yes, his role is important to the over all plot of the series, but in the movies you often hardly see him.
 
Would you want Wonder Woman or Bat Girl to be played by the most popular actress of the time, or the actress that can play the role the best, even if you had never heard of her before? The most "popular" choice right now would be Megan Fox, and that would just be wrong.
Edited by BTMcVey

Amazing series.  The two novels that Rucka wrote continuing the books are good, too.  She is not at all just a female version of Bond, though.  Totally different mood.  The series isn't your usual espionage fiction, but instead focuses on the logistics side back home, as well as the political in-battles involved with a controversial mission within the British equivalent of the State Department, and the relationship with allied intelligence agencies, especially the C.I.A. It is extremely smart and nuanced and, while there is plenty of action, those pages are usually not the truly compelling part of any individual issue.  
 
Babs, as a political science major, I really, really think you would appreciate and enjoy this series (longtime lurker, and I think I have a handle on your taste).  Pick up the trade volumes!!!  And, if you like it, definitely watch the DVD's of  old British TV series that inspired it, The Sandbaggers.  They are genuine gems.

Posted by Darkchild

Awesome, ive heard alot from a few comic buddies at my work about this comic ill have to check it out before it comes out

Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt said:
" @Babs said:

" @AngelFrost: Can someone like Emily carry an entire film like that? I've only ever seen her as a supporting actress. I'm not doubting her capabilities, I am simply questioning her popularity. "

Every actress at some point needs a chance to cut her teeth on taking the major seat in a movie and not always be a supportive or background character. Look at all the people we were introduced to in the Lord of the Rings films. That series was really Orlando Blooms first real big movie.
 
Look at movies like Harry Potter. The production company originally wanted Haley Joel Osment to take on Harry. Instead they picked a child no one had ever heard of. The irony is that one of the most popular actors in that series, such as Alan Rickman (love his work), plays more supportive roles. Yes, his role is important to the over all plot of the series, but in the movies you often hardly see him.
 
Would you want Wonder Woman or Bat Girl to be played by the most popular actress of the time, or the actress that can play the role the best, even if you had never heard of her before? The most "popular" choice right now would be Megan Fox, and that would just be wrong. "
I love you, lol.  :)    I think the exact same. Hollywood should give others a chance, and stop picking the 'obvious' choices like Angelina Jolie etc ...  And if this is supposed to be a female James Bond movie, then Emily is perfect, since no one knew who Daniel Craig was before he was Bond.
Posted by BTMcVey

also - Rucka has alluded that the blond British agent in his less excellent, but still impressive series WhiteOut (movie coming soon) is actually also Chase, using an alias.

Posted by FoxxFireArt
@AngelFrost: 
 
Always nice to love be loved by someone.  lol
That's true. A lot of people weren't excited with Daniel Craig for Bond. My mother is a huge Sean Connery fan when it comes to the Bond films. She wasn't thrilled about Craig. After watching his movies. She's a Craig fangirl.
I think many comic book movies seem to do better when the hero isn't super powered oddly enough. You look at a lot of comic book based movies. The best movies are ones that are about humans. Superman, Hulk, and Spider-man have a mixed history with their movies. Some are good movies and some are bad. The same for the Batman movies, but it's interesting the most recent ones have been really great movies and popular. Though what you notice about those movies. They have never done anything too fantastic or out there. The movies have been pretty 'real'. They even made the Joker into something more real. In the comics he was some thief that fell into acid and his face turned into a clown's then went crazy.
In the movie he is just some genius psychopath. Adding in those scars and they never explianed his origin. That's probably why we wont see any super powered villains in these series. They wont work in this formula. I think Two-Face was the most far out the series has gone. That raises the idea that the Riddler and Catwoman will appear. Possibly Talia, looking for revenge for her father.

It just struck me as odd that Babs wasn't questioning Emily Blunts ability, but popularity. I think I might of misunderstood or misrepresented what Babs was trying to say though. In retrospect. I really should of been more of a gentleman and asked what she meant. I just felt a need to talk about the idea of popularity versus skill.
Posted by xerox_kitty

I would rather see a relative unknown actress land the role than another typical Angelina Jolie/Megan Fox/popular soap-star.   
 
After all, Oni created indie comics which made big names out of writers & artists who no-one had heard of at the time.  So it seems fitting that a film based on an Oni comic should take someone who is unknown and make a big star out of them too.

Moderator
Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt:  Yeah, your completely right. The most successful movies are the ones that people can relate too. And they all start off as human, and in the case of Batman, stay human. 
 
Oh no, I think I know what Babs meant. She means that Emily Blunt may not be as well-known. But I was saying that everyone starts off as fairly unknown and eventually ends up as a star.
 
Which is why I love Emily, she chooses to stay out of the spotlight  unlike Megan Fox or Angelina Jolie or Jessica Alba. And so she is not the obvious choice for movie roles. Which make producers want to cast her,  If only her scheduling was sorted out :/ then we could have seen her as Black Widow.   *cries*
Posted by CrimespreeJon

Queen ans Country is amazing, the comics and the novels.  What makes them so great is that Rucka A) really writes great female leads, B) the series is realistic with both spycraft and situations. The human element is everything here.
 
If you have not read these yet get your butt to a comic store NOW.
 
Who ever gets cast needs to be willing to look beat and worn the F*&% out, because Tara is usually in that state in the field.

Posted by MJ Styles

I need to pick this up.  It looks interesting, yo.

Posted by FoxxFireArt
@AngelFrost said:
" @FoxxFireArt:  Which is why I love Emily, she chooses to stay out of the spotlight  unlike Megan Fox or Angelina Jolie or Jessica Alba. And so she is not the obvious choice for movie roles. Which make producers want to cast her,  If only her scheduling was sorted out :/ then we could have seen her as Black Widow.   *cries* "
I like Angelina and Jessica Alba. They have shown themselves to be more then just sex pots. They do acting in movies. Angelina was perfect for Lara Croft. The second movie wasn't too good though. The way Robert Downey Jr. feels perfect for Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes.
 
I just felt that I may have come across a tad rude to what Babs was trying to say. I wouldn't want to come across as disrespectful.
Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt said:
" @AngelFrost said:
" @FoxxFireArt:  Which is why I love Emily, she chooses to stay out of the spotlight  unlike Megan Fox or Angelina Jolie or Jessica Alba. And so she is not the obvious choice for movie roles. Which make producers want to cast her,  If only her scheduling was sorted out :/ then we could have seen her as Black Widow.   *cries* "
I like Angelina and Jessica Alba. They have shown themselves to be more then just sex pots. They do acting in movies. Angelina was perfect for Lara Croft. The second movie wasn't too good though. The way Robert Downey Jr. feels perfect for Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes. I just felt that I may have come across a tad rude to what Babs was trying to say. I wouldn't want to come across as disrespectful. "
Yeah, I agree. But you have to admit, alot of people just cast them solely on their reputation and media exposure to bump up the money they make on a film. Jessica is aweful in comedy's.  
 
Well I for one didn't hear much of RDJ before he became Iron Man, lol. I saw him on Gothica, thats about it.
Posted by FoxxFireArt
@AngelFrost: 
Yeah, I will agree that a lot of the time they are selected, because they are the most popular of choices.
 
Wow, you need to watch more movies. Robert Downey Jr. has been in sooooo many good things. He's a lot like Johnny Depp. They both play so many different characters, but always do them well. I know he was in Weird Science (which is an earlier favorite with young boys everywhere. Along with Ferris Bueller's Day Off.). The first thing I really knew him about was when he played Charlie Chaplin in the movie Chaplin. It was a great film. If there is any modern film I would suggest to you. You must rent the Soloist. It just recently came out on DVD. It is so moving and so good.
Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt:  Well, I probably was in diapers when most of his movies were out, or not even born ... I'm talking about his more recent ones. Lol.
 
Oh geeze :P I hate 'moving' films, Give me a good horror or thriller any day, lol.
Posted by FoxxFireArt
@AngelFrost: 
I think we are the only two even reading this thread anymore.
I'm not that old. I just really like older movies. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a movie that every high school student must see.  Actually, the house that was the infamous garage in the movie was recently put up for sale.
 
The Soloist really shouldn't be missed. It's based on a true story. It's a great story and Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant in it. These events weren't like 10 years ago. Some of these events the movie shows was maybe only a couple years ago. It's emotional, but it really lifts you up to watch it.
There is one movie in my family that is considered a mandatory watching. It's Young Frankenstein.
One of the best comedy movies ever made. Though I would recommend Shaun of the Dead if you like some comedy mixed with horror.
 
Chaplin was a movie of the true story of the life of Charlie Chaplin, the classic silent movie actor.
 I LOVE old classic comedy movies. Some of the best are the Marx Brother's movies. It's often very smart comedy that you have to be a bit quick to catch at times. Try going to youtube and do a search for "Groucho Marx Animal Crackers Bigamy"(watch Groucho's knees early in this scene), "Meet Firefly", "The Best of Groucho" or "What's the Password?". I guaranty you will get some laughs.
Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt:  Haha, Probably.
 
I have seen parts of that movie, but none with RDJ in them  :/    I hate true stories :P they are always sad and I am very emotional, so I just end up crying xD I hate it.
 
I love Shaun of the Dead. :)  Planet Terror sort of reminds me of that, it's funny.  Lol and I have never heard of any of them movies xD I'm too young, geeze, I need to look into the past.
Posted by FoxxFireArt
@AngelFrost:   
I bet someone is getting irritated with how long this thread has become. lol

What's wrong with crying from a movie? I would rather feel something from a movie then nothing at all.

Most of those are just the name of the clips found on youtube. Not the actual titles of the movies. They are comedies from the 1930s. I was watching these when I was in high school on AMC, American Movie Classics. I like them, because they are smart comedy. It's not like how most comedies now just use gross or offensive humor like American Pie series. I love this line from Monkey Business, "And I. I am the man who talks too much. Fancy meeting you here after all these drinks.".
Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt:  Lol, And we're not even talking about the Queen and Country movie.
 
Well, when I go and watch a movie, I don't want to sit their being depressed and just feeling horrible.  I prefer to feel happy. :) 
 
And true, Alot of comedies now are 'gross humour' like, Knocked Up, 40 year old virgin, American Pie's  etc ....  And it isn't even funny.
Posted by FoxxFireArt
@AngelFrost: 
Well, it's just an evolving discussion.
 
Not every true life story has a sad ending. The Soloist does have sad moments, but there is a lot of good stuff too.
Posted by AngelFrost
@FoxxFireArt:  Well, when I have time, I'll check it out :D
Posted by aka_twitch

Stuck in development hell because, according to Rucka himself, the execs are squeamish about "O noes a female lead"

http://comicbook.com/blog/2012/05/18/queen-country-writer-greg-rucka-on-women-in-hollywood-and-comics/

Just as well, perhaps, considering how the film adaptation of Whiteout gutted what made the comic special (for crap's sake they wrote out one of the main characters because "O noes, dudes won't go see a flick with two female leads" :P)

Use your keyboard!

  • ESC