Adam McKay’s only just recently been confirmed as directing a movie version of Ennis and Robertson’s THE BOYS, and he’s already mulling over the pros and cons of shooting the snarky super-spoof in 3D. Conversely, he’s also considering the possibility of going for an unorthodox, retro approach and doing effects work in the original negative, rather than working with a digital intermediate. You know, McKay might seem like an out-of-left-field choice for this property, but if these comments he’s made to Splash Page are any indication, a lot of comics fans are running the risk of sorely underestimating this guy. Granted, even though I thought STEP BROTHERS was gut-busting hilarious - - “I’M *SOB * GOING *SOB * TO THROW UPPPPPPP!!!” - - I didn’t think that flick screamed “untapped potential for ultra-violent superheroics." Still, if the guy’s done a good job with one kind of movie, there’s a good chance he can handle another kind. Imagine what a loss audiences would have had if Richard Donner and Christopher Nolan had been pigeonholed into just doing thrillers before they got a crack at SUPERMAN and BATMAN.
Anyway, McKay’s actually a pretty big comics fan and, after his post-OTHER GUYS vacation, he’s going to get straight back to working on this script again with those CLASH OF THE TITANS screenwriters. One con, of course, for doing THE BOYS in 3D is that if anybody’s leery about seeing some of the more gruesome scenes from the comic on screen, they’re going to be downright repulsed by seeing them in fresh, dripping 3D.
So spoke Mr. McKay about the subject…
"There are pluses and minuses to 3-D. We'd have to do it in digital. When we get the final script done, I'll look at it and say, 'Is there enough going on here that we're going to want 3-D?' A lot of the cracks that are charming in comics and that you fill in with your own imagination can just look downright messy [in a movie.]”
Either way, McKay's very conscious of the big impression WATCHMEN and KICK-ASS have made on audiences in terms of what's possible for adult-oriented superheroics. He’s committed to making this movie's visuals just as striking as its content.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here.