SPAWN creator Todd McFarlane may be looking to correct what didn't work about the 1997 SPAWN film with the new movie he's writing and directing himself, but he also obviously recognized what did work about that previous adaptation, the makeup effects.
There were rumblings about this last month, and now they have proven to be true: McFarlane has announced that effects specialist Greg Nicotero and his company KNB EFX have come on board the new SPAWN film to create the design of the titular character. KNB also handled the effects on SPAWN '97.
Nicotero has been a popular figure in the genre world for a long time, having started his career on George A. Romero's 1985 classic DAY OF THE DEAD. In recent years he has become even more popular due to his association with the AMC series The Walking Dead. In addition to creating the effects for that show, Nicotero is also one of its executive producers and has directed several episodes.
McFarlane had this to say about KNB's involvement with the new SPAWN:
I'm a long-time fan of Greg’s work and the projects his company, KNB have done throughout the years. Working with him once again, to re-invent the Spawn 'look' so it will match the supernatural theme in the movie, is going to be a fun process."
Spawn is set to be played by Jamie Foxx in the film. Joining him in the cast is Jeremy Renner as homicide detective Maximilian "Twitch" Williams.
McFarlane is producing SPAWN with Jason Blum and Blumhouse Productions. The film will mark McFarlane's directorial debut and is expected to take a "gritty, R-rated" approach to the material.
Directed by Mark A.Z. Dippé from a screenplay he wrote with HALLOWEEN 4's Alan B. McElroy, the '97 SPAWN had the following synopsis:
Covert government assassin Al Simmons (Michael Jai White) is killed after being double-crossed by his boss, Jason Wynn (Martin Sheen). Upon arriving in Hell, Simmons is offered an opportunity to return to Earth if he's willing to lead an evil army. He accepts and is reincarnated as a "Hellspawn" — a twisted, horribly disfigured version of his former self. However, Spawn serves as a force of good, much to the dismay of the Devil's henchman, a wicked clown (John Leguizamo).
With Foxx, Renner, and now Nicotero / KNB involved, the new SPAWN is shaping up to be something cool. I'm looking forward to seeing how this adaptation is going to turn out.
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