David Fincher to direct Torso

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

The Hollywood Reporter Wrote:

New Movie Reviews - New Upcoming Movie Releases
Jan. 12, 2006

Fincher has stomach for 'Torso'

By Borys Kit
David Fincher is carving out room in his schedule for "Torso," a thriller based on a graphic novel written by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andrey-ko, which he will direct for Paramount Pictures. Ehren Kruger is writing the adaptation, which will be produced by Pandemonium's Bill Mechanic, Angry Films' Don Murphy and comic artist Todd McFarlane.

"Torso" tells the true but relatively unknown story of Treasury Department agent Eliot Ness' time after his Al Capone days, when he moved to Cleveland to be the city's public safety officer. Torsos began appearing in the river, and Ness began receiving notes taunting him to catch the killer. Ness, who had no experience in police work, put together a team of ex-officers to apprehend the serial murderer.

The graphic novel was written by Bendis and Andreyko and drawn by Bendis in the late 1990s. Bendis has since gone on to become one of the top writers in comics, with acclaimed runs on "Daredevil" and "Ultimate Spider-Man." Several of his creator-owned comics are in development around town, including "Jinx," which is set up at Universal Pictures with Charlize Theron attached.

"Torso" first was optioned by "Spawn" creator McFarlane, and Murphy came aboard later to give the project traction. Murphy went to Mechanic, who brought in Fincher.

Fincher directed "Fight Club" for Mechanic when Mechanic was head of 20th Century Fox.

Overseeing "Torso" for the studio are Alli Shearmur and Marc Evans. Todd McFarlane Prods.' Terry Fitzgerald also is producing.

Kruger's credits include "The Ring" and "The Ring Two," "The Skeleton Key" and "Arlington Road." He is repped by Paradigm.

The CAA-repped Fincher is well-acquainted with the serial killer underworld, having directed the cult hit "Seven." He is shooting "Zodiac," the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer about the 1970s San Francisco serial killer, which will be distributed domestically by Paramount.

"Torso" will be Fincher's third movie for Paramount, behind "Zodiac" and the in-development fantasy-drama "Benjamin Button."

this has potential to be fucking brilliant

HaqDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:13 pm

Kingfish · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:15 pm

Looks interesting. I'm not impressed with Kruger's body of work though.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:16 pm

cotton Wrote:

this has potential to be fucking brilliant

Story sounds REAL COOL. If he can avoid trying to make it look like a fucking comic, and just make an awesome, dark movie, it sounds like a fine thrille rin the vein of 7...with a little history thrown in.

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

i seriously don't know how much adaptation work can even take place, though. Bendis writes pretty stellar dialogue. I wonder who's gonna end up doing Powers.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:24 pm

I've actually heard of the Cleveland Torso Murderer. If Finchser is doing it, it should be at least interesting to watch.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:57 pm

Is this official because Fincher has been attached to like 15 different cool projects only to pull out. Erg. The man, needs to get cracking. On a related note, I picked up The Game the other day at Circuit City for $5. One of the finest suspense films ever.

shiv · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:19 pm

Flying Rabbit Wrote:

On a related note, I picked up The Game the other day at Circuit City for $5. One of the finest suspense films ever.

I've been waiting for the longest time for a special edition of this to come out but it looks like it's not gonna happen. I guess I'll just break down and get it sometime.

I like all of Fincher's movies, even Alien 3.

ptrck · **Joined:** Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:55 pm **Posts:** 5568

panic room wasnt very good.

but how cool a name is bill mechanic?

Dalen · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:19 pm

Senator LooGAR, TX Monger Wrote:

cotton Wrote:

this has potential to be fucking brilliant

Story sounds REAL COOL. If he can avoid trying to make it look like a fucking comic, and just make an awesome, dark movie, it sounds like a fine thrille rin the vein of 7...with a little history thrown in.

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

Senator LooGAR, TX Monger Wrote:

Story sounds REAL COOL. If he can avoid trying to make it look like a fucking comic

i don't really know what that means, but the book is pretty much a straight detective story rather than a comic book. There's no spandex or super powers or anything like that if that's what you're thinking.

shiv · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:28 pm

cotton Wrote:

Senator LooGAR, TX Monger Wrote:

Story sounds REAL COOL. If he can avoid trying to make it look like a fucking comic

i don't really know what that means, but the book is pretty much a straight detective story rather than a comic book. There's no spandex or super powers or anything like that if that's what you're thinking.

i think he's still angry about sin city.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:28 pm

cotton Wrote:

Senator LooGAR, TX Monger Wrote:

Story sounds REAL COOL. If he can avoid trying to make it look like a fucking comic

i don't really know what that means, but the book is pretty much a straight detective story rather than a comic book. There's no spandex or super powers or anything like that if that's what you're thinking.

Like how in Road to Perdition they made sure to make it look like it was drawn, or that one shitty movie y'all rave about they over exaggerated everything, thus killing the plot.

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

well, road to perdition blew, and I think one of the reasons Sin city works that way is because the plot is so mundane. But yeah, I see your point.

paper · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:10 pm

HaqDiesel Wrote:

cool

Dusty Chalk · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:20 am

shiv Wrote:

Flying Rabbit Wrote:

On a related note, I picked up The Game the other day at Circuit City for $5. One of the finest suspense films ever.

I've been waiting for the longest time for a special edition of this to come out but it looks like it's not gonna happen. I guess I'll just break down and get it sometime.

I believe I have a Criterion edition of this on laserdisc -- didn't that get the DVD treatment?

shiv · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:44 pm

Dusty Chalk Wrote:

shiv Wrote:

Flying Rabbit Wrote:

On a related note, I picked up The Game the other day at Circuit City for $5. One of the finest suspense films ever.

I've been waiting for the longest time for a special edition of this to come out but it looks like it's not gonna happen. I guess I'll just break down and get it sometime.

I believe I have a Criterion edition of this on laserdisc -- didn't that get the DVD treatment?

According to dvdcompare.net they all have nothing.

Dusty Chalk · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:00 am

Laserdisc version, according to IMDB

shiv · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:55 pm

Dusty Chalk Wrote:

Laserdisc version, according to IMDB

Who the hell still owns a laserdisc?

HideousLump · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:30 am

shiv Wrote:

Dusty Chalk Wrote:

Laserdisc version, according to IMDB

Who the hell still owns a laserdisc?

*raises hand*

And I have never burned a CD. How's that for lumplike behavior!

shiv · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:45 am

are you still hanging onto your betamax and 8 tracks too?

Dusty Chalk · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:29 am

shiv Wrote:

Dusty Chalk Wrote:

Laserdisc version, according to IMDB

Who the hell still owns a laserdisc?

I the hell still own two laserdisc players, and shelf full of laserdiscs, including at least four collectibles that aren't available on DVD (The Keep, original Star Wars, full version of Laurie Anderson's Home of the Brave, ...um...I forget the fourth one). I will at some point develop a digitization scheme, and sell them off, but for now, I have a non-deteriorating analog format.

EDIT: By "sell them off", I mean sell off the laserdiscs and players.

neuroboy · **Posted:** Mon Jan 16, 2006 1:03 pm

i love fincher's work but he needs to branch out a little bit from series killers. if he's really in for torso that'll half mean half of his movies are about serial killers (including the in-production benjamin button and zodiac). he's a great director but that's weak.

David Fincher to direct Torso

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