Marc Platt and I have talked about that before. And so he also talked to Bryan, and then they hatched the plan for an anime exploring more of the graphic novels. And then they pulled in BenDavid Grabinski, and I hear him and Bryan had such a good time thinking up the stories, working out what it could and should be. Then they came up with this pitch for an anime series. It’s hopefully something that’ll surprise the audience, because it goes on after the books, so the entire screen adaptation is like a coda. And I think it’s pretty cool.
Jared and Marc asked for my opinion. Obviously, the right thing to do is to let Bryan and Ben talk, and they cracked it. Of course, I stuck around and I talked with them a bit, and then off they went and wrote the first full script. And then I read it, and that’s when I asked if I could direct the first episode, because what they had written is like a pilot, really. It’s such a great story, and I find it very exciting that it’s eight episodes as well, rather than just a one-off. Also, I think the graphic novels’ idiosyncrasies and the endlessly creative world and character designs are really fascinating that it’s a delightful execution.
One thing I would love to be clear is this is a proper conclusion of Scott to the world of screen, to the realm of the movie, and one thing I really liked about the adaptation happened from Book 4 onwards, and that to me, is the 2010 movie turned to ten. I mean, people who didn’t understand the movie’s tropes will ten years later be able to pick them up. Plus, there’s so much in the books that its possible continuation is markedly different to the previous adaptation. It’s like the difference of the novels from the movie — syncs things up and breathes life into the material in the way I noticed before.
What was the timeline like once you, Marc and Bryan had made it official? We had submitted the pitch to Universal in summer 2019, and then COVID-19 put a hold on every production. It was supposed to start this November, and so in spring 2020, the whole thing stopped in its tracks. I had a whole other project I was about to start and then obviously the pandemic stopped everything. Then one day last year, when there was some sort of stoppage, we thought this may be a time to show this script to the interested studio or streamer. That would be about doing voice recording on Skype, remotely directing, which I’ve had lots of practice of lately.
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What excites you most about jumping back in? I mean, I did think that sequel mentality is not the same thing on sequels, but that when you don’t give people what they want, you substitute what they need. At the end, you satisfy them even more with that sustenance. It’s like when these unexpected turns glimmer the internets’ lives to function with much more thought-out appealing. You’re getting rid of a deadbeat story and presenting them this new thing they needed. And to see it happening with the same characters, the same world, the same filmic style and the world is so nice.
This process has been the absolute opposite of a torturous experience. But five years ago, Marc Platt said in a call with me, “It’s now at that point where the internal audience developed.” And this is three times over. And I was happy, because it was basically mirroring the relationship I had to Cornetto for the better part of the last decade. I would show it to you and you would confirm that a great movie still exists in there. I didn’t know, because I didn’t watch it. And then we’d fix it! And then people would see a better movie. This kind of feedback is one of the key values that you can’t put a price on. But I found this one to be really important.
Stay with it! This hasn’t been like eating half a cake faster than I wanted, but sitting it in the fridge and letting it hang. On the night of its release, I’m so curious about how people watching Sky or Hulu/AMC will receive it and how many people will be watching 10 years from now.
Then guess what? In three years, I’ve already asked that if people haven’t seen it, watch it because it’s brilliant. And there’s now going to be a great follow-up, eight hours more of it! And I had a hand in it, but mostly this is the care and craft of Bryan and Ben.
I mean, Marc and everyone at Marc Platt Productions has put together this great band based in Cleveland, and Universal TV has funded this, so I think we’re OK. I think it’s going to be something great. So I also feel lucky to have all this opportunity to play. With that, everyone can’t wait to get back to it! So I think by the end of next year, I’ll have a picture that will put me back in the black, and be over the way things have been. Then back to promoting a film again.
