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Peter Berg Bringing Hercules: The Thracian Wars to Life

by Alex Billington
July 23, 2008

Not only is he reviving Dune, but Peter Berg is bringing back Hercules as well. Unfortunately after Berg tinkered with Hancock, in the wrong way, I'm not really excited for anything he's doing next, but alas, here we go. Berg just officially signed on to produce and direct Hercules: The Thracian Wars, a feature adaptation based on Radical Publishing's five-issue comic series written by Steve Moore. One of the producers, Barry Levine, explained that "what resonated for them was that this was character driven, about a character who's more man than god, with conflicts and redemption." Hercules?! Seriously? What is wrong with Hollywood?! I'm excited for the Clash of the Titans remake, but bringing back Hercules is really taking it too far. Especially with Peter Berg in the director's chair!

Hercules is a character that has been around for ages, but has only recently been seen again in this new comic book series published in May through Radical Publishing. As you can see from the publisher's official website, this comic has a much different story than the Hercules we're all familiar with. Either way, it looks like a very brutal and bloody comic that I hope can be adapted with as much intensity as the comic. I really was not impressed with Berg's Hancock, but I blame the script, because I otherwise enjoyed The Kingdom quite a bit. I will say that Hercules, whether adapted from this comic or otherwise, is not a character that I'm the least bit excited to see return to the big screen. I'd rather watch the 1981 Clash of the Titans or even Disney's animated 1997 Hercules than see Berg try and bring a PG-13 live-action Hercules back to life.

Anyone else agree with me or is Hercules your own favorite mythical hero?

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions

Rodan8812

Hercules really hollywood what you decided to skip right over the Casblanca remake or a Godfather remake... sometimes I really worry about you hollywood.
israelidude

While being a medium avarege action flick, "The Kingdom" is still a very poor movie, with hugh dialogue problems and an over all gung ho, america-has-the-biggest-fucking-pennis-in-the-world movie. the entire last action scene in the "terrorist hood" was complete bullshit, as well as the ending in which the american soldier lives and the arab officer dies...of course!!!!! soooo originaly thought through!!! berg should stick to side roles in movies directed by better, more realistic thinking people than he....the directors' chair is way too big for him.
http://digg.com/users/darkchild82 MithunD

Peter Berg has proven he can do action but please - ENOUGH with the excessive use of the 'shaky' cam.
dave13

For the record, I enjoyed Hancock. Was it an amazing film? No. But it was fun and better than I thought it would be, with even a bit of a twist. I haven't seen the Kingdom, however I do think Hercules is a pretty good mythical character overall. So anything about Hercules is sure to have its good parts. I mean really, even Superman Returns had some visual treats and some fun aspects, and effectively Superman is a modern day Hercules.
CHACK

More to the point when is Peter Berg going to Pony up the Lone Survivor film he's signed to do, the book is amazing but it's gone a bit silent on the movie, far more box office potential that Hercules.
http://handfulofwires.blogspot.com DCompose

Why isn't Kevin Sorbo attached? This whole thing stinks, and I don't like it!
Curtis

I have enjoyed Bergs movies like Hancock, The Kingdom and my favorite coming from him The Rundown. Im all for this movie but lets hope it gets a R-rating.
Reece

i friggen love the disney movie, no serious question here...is it just me or does it seem that hollywood is going anywhere and everywhere to find a story these days? currently with comic books and remakes...just thinkin
Xerxex

Hancock was a let down, but his other films like the Rundown, The Kingdom, and Friday Night Lights were good, he has a style and with Hancock he lost it, hopefully he'll stay true to Hercules, and Dune. Give him a chance and besides Hancock wasn't that bad. Breg is a decent director who is still a rising star.
roman

Let's face it, Berg is just not the guy. He's done well for himself with his (strange) alliance with Michael Mann, but everything he's ever done has fallen short. They're good like Hancock and The Kingdom were good, but definitely not great and they should've been. Everything was there for him on his last two projects to hit them out of the park. Instead we get stand up doubles to left. My guess is that he is affordable and always brings his productions in on time and under-budget. Either that or he has dirt on somebody.
Darrin

once michael mann isn't attached , then i'm in. berg has directed some decent movies like the rundown and friday night lights but hancock was directed great but it had a shitty script. Kingdom was ok. so i hope it turns out good.
Luke

Kevin Sorbo.....thats all I got to say.
Jesse Anderson

Great idea, just make it good like the 300's. One more thing you have some people's that were not around at the age of be three year old from the 50th when movies was the best thing a child could stand still for, so some of the things I have read about comment from the one's who don't know art's when it come to hollywood, need to be put back on the bottle so they can stop all that crying.
Andrew

If Berg is in, I'm out...
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=47096 Daniel

I have a good actor who can play Hercules that will be Brandon Routh who ever played "The Man of Steel" and he can play Hercules what do everyone think ? Which is his Superman style and his Superman style can be Hercules. Here is the Supporting Cast: John Rhys Davies as Zeus, Sela Ward as Hera, Hugh Weaver as Ares, Michael Chikilis as The Centaur
http://google billy barta

i have waited for a good hercules movie ever since i was a kid and used to watch steve reeves play hercules. it has to be done back in the days of greece though not like that stupid one lou ferigno did back in the early 80s.they need to find someone who looks like steve reeves did back in the 60s.
andre louie reyes

hercules movie ? thor movie ? how about OLYMPUS VS ASGARD this would be exciting if there was a cross over movie match-up . hope marvel makes good on thor... but peter berg screwed up hancock i dont expect much on this hercules, the title sounds like less demi-godlike more human struggle , unlike spartan epic movie 300 just a simple title went from mortal to godhood in the end. one of the best endings ever.....
Maria

Kevin Sorbo is the only one for this movie. Hollywood must have learned its lesson. Nobody can play Hercules like Sorbo and if anyone else tries, it will only end up to a failure like the movie with Paul Telfer. Really Holywood what were you thinking? Greece is with Sorbo! We all here want to see him in as Hercules in that movie!!!!
Raheem

i hope peter goes for the hard R-Rating and stay true to tone of the comic
big758

To @Alex Billington do you want peter burg to make this film or do you want someone else to make this film
big758

because i want this film to be made but not in a dumbass PG-13 money making sort of way and i agree with @Raheem i do want him to go for an R-Rating But Make An Ultra-Violent Hardcore Hard R-Rated Actioner. AND SORRY KIDS THIS FILM IS FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
SQUEEKYBIGFOOT

THE GREATEST OF ALL MYTHOLOGICAL GREEK HEROES DESERVES TOP-FLIGHT CINEMATIC TREATMENT(THINK JACKSON'S LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY)!THE LEAD MUST NOT ONLY LOOK THE PART BUT ALSO MUST BE A REASONABLY FINE ACTOR,ESPECIALLY SINCE HERACLES'/HERCULES' SUPPOSEDLY HAD AN MULTI-FACETED, EMOTION-LADEN PERSONA.PLEASE DON'T CAST A BODYBUILDER OR SOMEONE WHO'S BUILT LIKE A SURFER(SORRY KEVIN SORBO FANS)...INSTEAD CONSIDER AN ACTOR WHO'S BUILT LIKE THE FAMED FARNESE HERCULES IN NAPLES(PHYSICALLY IMPOSING,BUT ALSO EXUDING ATHLETICISM;WELL-MUSCLED BUT ALSO BUILT "TO GO,NOT JUST FOR SHOW!" FACIALLY,HE SHOULD LOOK LIKE AN ANCIENT GREEK DEMIGOD,NOT A MODERN-DAY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAN.IF YOU EXPEND THE EFFORT IT WILL BE WORTH IT!