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Bryan Singer on Fairytale Revival and More with 'Jack the Giant Killer'
by Ethan Anderton
May 31, 2011
Source: IGN
As competing Snow White projects are gearing up for battle in 2012, and other projects like a new take on Sleeping Beauty with Hailee Steinfeld in the works, it's clear the fairytale revival in Hollywood will be hard to avoid. However, director Bryan Singer has been working on Jack the Giant Killer, his fairytale project, for years, and it just so happens it's finally coming together when these stories are all the rage at studios right now. The filmmaker recently chatted with IGN about the inspiration behind his film, his work with performance capture and his take on this fairytale renaissance taking cinema by storm. Read on!
First, here's what Singer had to say about his film now fitting into the fairytale trend in Hollywood:
"I was involved with this over two-and-a-half years ago, or even longer - I was flirting with it almost three years ago. But [these fairytale features] are all just a function of 'Alice in Wonderland.' And that's cool - it's a rensaissance of those kind of movies, and it's cool - I'm happy to be a part of two renaissances; the comic book renaissance, and now this one. But it wasn't intentional. In fact, I probably would have been shy about jumping into a fairytale movie with all of the projects out there now - I might have actually backed away from it. But now it's just serendipitous I guess."
Singer explains what attracted him to the project:
"I grew up reading the story of 'Jack and the Beanstalk.' I'm also familiar with the 'Jack the Giant Killer' myth from the 1700s. There was a script that existed a couple of years ago that I changed quite a bit. The idea of that 'Wizard of Oz'-style journey - you've got a beanstalk - what's up there? Chris McQuarrie did a significant re-write for me. He brought a different structure. It was very much a page-one situation; a different storyline. It involved the same characters, but some we juggled around and switched around. He just brought a very different perspective."
Additionally, this is the first project where Singer is using performance capture:
"It's fascinating. I've just started my rehearsals with the principal cast on the performance capture stage and I wish you were here so I could show you some photos on my iPhone because they are so comical. It takes you back to play-acting as a kid in your living room because you are running around and having to imagine that you are in Gantua and imagine that there are these weapons and all these giant things. But there's nothing when you are there other than Styrofoam and blocks. It forces the actors to regress to when they would play-act as kids or do minimalist theatre. But in that way it's fascinating - I can see why Robert Zemeckis and James Cameron have started to shoot pictures this way."
Seeing a project like this from Singer definitely has me intrigued. It's unlike any project he's taken on before, and we haven't seen anything from the director since Valkyrie. As a fan of The Usual Suspects and his X-Men films, I'm always looking forward to what Singer has up his sleeve for his next project. Jack the Giant Killer sounds like it's going to be pretty epic with a cast that includes Nicholas Hoult (Beast from X-Men: First Class) as the titular hero, Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Stanley Tucci and more. For more from Singer on the project, head over to IGN for the full interview. Are you interested in Jack the Giant Killer?
7 Comments
1
What else can Bryan Singer do badly? Stay tuned with this one. His X-Men is already dated. His time on X-Men First Class hurt more than helped Vaughn. Superman Returns was an abomination. So bad that he isn't doing a follow up. Thank you, baby Jesus.
Rp1n on May 31, 2011
2
What do you mena hurt more than helped? How ya know? And what did he do on it? produced?
Ryderup on May 31, 2011
3
Common knowledge. Singer and his merry band were on X-Men FC developing the film before a director was hired. Singer even though he's being credited as the director was in essence directing the film before plopping his shit onto Vaughn who was given no pre-production time to put his unique stamp on it and clean out Singer's crap.
Possum on May 31, 2011
5
Singer is the "Schumacher" of the 21st Century.
Big Boss on May 31, 2011
6
I just love the usual suspects and Apt pupil. so I am in for this. I hope he gets back to smaller character driven movies though. And Big Boss I can forgive Schumacher for anything, after all he did the awesome Falling down.
Loser on May 31, 2011
7
I agree Loser, he needs to get back to his roots, do something small with great characters...
jah p on Jun 1, 2011
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