Whereas Sam Raimi is working to deliver again one in all his most iconic properties, Liam Neeson has not heard a peep about it.
Conceived and directed by the Evil Lifeless mastermind, Darkman starred Neeson as scientist Dr. Peyton Westlake, who’s burned alive and left for lifeless by ruthless mobster Robert Durant resulting from his girlfriend’s investigation right into a corrupt actual property developer. Narrowly surviving, and now primarily super-powered due to an experimental nerve process that eliminates his capability to really feel ache whereas additionally triggering an adrenal overload that given him enhanced power, Westlake hunts for revenge in opposition to Durant along with his experimental artificial pores and skin.
Shortly after phrase got here out about Raimi growing a brand new installment within the franchise, Neeson has damaged his silence on the deliberate Darkman sequel. In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley for his horror comedy Chilly Storage, the Oscar nominee confirmed he has not but had talks with Raimi about reprising his position for the upcoming movie, even stating that “they made two” sequels with out him within the direct-to-video movies.
Nonetheless, what Neeson did not understand is that the brand new movie is reportedly going to be a direct sequel to his and Raimi’s unique. When requested if he had plans to achieve out to the director, the star humorously mimicked a telephone name between him and Raimi, performing as if he could not hear the filmmaker, earlier than affirming that “I would like to work with Sam” for it and is eager to see a contemporary tackle the franchise.
Raimi was the one to interrupt the information of his plans to revive the Darkman franchise in late January, revealing {that a} script was already in place for the mission and his Ghost Home Footage manufacturing banner was backing it. He did additionally affirm that there have been two administrators connected to the movie, that are reported to be Do not Transfer duo Brian Netto and Adam Schindler, although no official confirmations have been made on that entrance, whereas financing is claimed to be the present hurdle for the movie.
Whereas particulars are largely being saved below wraps for the movie on the time, ought to Neeson be contacted for the following Darkman, it will be his first look within the franchise because the unique. The aforementioned direct-to-video sequels noticed The Mummy‘s Arnold Vosloo take over for Neeson within the titular position, although Raimi beforehand indicated the plan was for a legacy sequel, doubtlessly retconning the 1995 and 1996 installments.
Given the character is primarily seen wrapped in bandages resulting from his intense burns, it would not be totally not possible for Neeson to return again as Westlake for the brand new Darkman. Although the artificial pores and skin experiments would probably require the character to seem as his youthful self than Neeson’s 73-year-old look, the sequel may finally clarify that Westlake’s bodily ageing nonetheless requires his facial options to work accordingly.
How Raimi’s First Superhero Film Occurred As a result of He Could not Make Batman
Sam Raimi is concerned about directing a Batman film, however his first superhero film truly occurred after he did not get the Darkish Knight’s rights.
Then again, there may be additionally the likelihood for Raimi and his crew to point out a brand new character bothered with an identical stage of burns that turns to a still-active Westlake for assist, with the pair working collectively on a brand new everlasting artificial pores and skin system. The sequel may then take a web page out of the Candyman playbook by bringing Neeson again for a cameo within the movie’s conclusion as he passes the torch to a brand new Darkman, ought to the system they make solely be sufficient to revive one in all them.
No matter what Raimi has in retailer for the story, a brand new Darkman with Neeson would function a significant return to the superhero style for them each. The director notably reunited with Marvel for 2022’s Physician Unusual within the Multiverse of Insanity, and has since remained open to partnering with them once more on both a person movie or a Tobey Maguire-fronted Spider-Man 4. Neeson, however, hasn’t appeared within the style for over a decade, along with his final superhero-related title being The Darkish Knight Rises, wherein he reprised his position as Ra’s al Ghul for a shock cameo.
Now, as Raimi not too long ago indicated, the brand new Darkman‘s possibilities of being made will finally come right down to getting financing for the sequel. Common Footage nonetheless owns the rights to the franchise, and with the unique having solely been a modest success reasonably than a blockbuster hit like another superhero properties on the time, they might be hesitant to completely again the brand new movie with out one other financier. Nonetheless, with Marvel and DC fatigue being felt greater than smaller, outlier properties, now may be the right window for Common to place their full help into Raimi’s franchise.
- Launch Date
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August 24, 1990
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Writers
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Chuck Pfarrer, Daniel Goldin, Ivan Raimi, Joshua Goldin
- Producers
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Robert Tapert