Exclusive! Gerard Way to direct comic book movie?

From Kerrang!

My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way has exclusively revealed to Kerrang! that he’s in talks with Universal about turning his graphic novel series The Umbrella Academy into a film.

“There’s been a lot of progress on it,” Way tells K!. “Things in Hollywood move slow typically, but the comic was optioned as a film right before the San Diego Comic Convention last July. As soon as I got home from that I started meeting people at Universal and the film got fast-tracked and so recently I’ve been in talking to them about three times a week, first talking about the tone the film might have and then talking about screen writers who are going to work very closely with me when it comes time to do the film.”

As creator of The Umbrella Academy, Way has also hinted that directing is something he’d like to turn his hand to in the future.

“Directing is something I’d be really interested in,” he says. “People ask me if I would act, but acting to me is not nearly as exciting as directing would be. When I was talking to [video director] Mark Webb about the Ghost Of You video I was talking about the idea and I broke it down into shots and he’d said ‘You should really consider making your own videos eventually’. And I think that making videos would be fun and easy, but I’d definitely be interested in directing features. After this record cycle I’d be really interested in trying something like that.”

Who watches the Watchmen…

posted by Ray on Feb 13, 2009 11:07am

We did! Went to a screening a few days ago at WB. The movie turned out great. Anyone who’s read the book knows how complex the plot is, so that in and of itself is a challenge, but really what makes the book great are the characters. Each of the Watchmen has multiple layers themselves.
Throughout the book you learn more and more about their motivations and how they ended up where they are. Its like the slow peeling of an onion, and getting this across in a film is a tough feat.

Zack and crew managed to do just that. The way they handled Rorschach and Manhattan felt the best to me, as these two characters I feel are the most interesting in the book. Rorschach is amazing because he is very one track. His sense of justice is absolute, and never falters from that. With Manhattan, you’re asked an important question. What if you had the power to save the world, but didn’t want to? You will feel sorry for this man with infinite powers, yet no desire to use them.

They also amped up the action sequences, which was a smart move. In the book, you get a sense that even though the Watchmen aren’t true “super-heroes” in the expected sense, they know how to fight. These fight scenes and the violence overall are brutal and bloody. I’m really looking forward to seeing the movie in a real theater when it comes out to hear the reactions from the audience on some of these shots.

I think you guys will really love the movie.

In other news, we’ve been writing for the past week. Things have been moving fast, and are feeling really good. I think we’ll soon be hitting our stride, and can’t wait to see what comes out of that.

Oh and check out Flower on PS3. If you ever feel the need to get away from the world, load up this game. Take to the winds and enjoy.

It’s that time again…

posted by Ray on Feb 09, 2009 2:06pm

Yes G, we did indeed bring the rain. I don’t know what it is, but whenever we get back together the skies start crying. I think its colder here in LA than in Jersey! Sorry guys…

We had a very long and well deserved break, but I and the rest of the guys are already back to work writing and are having a great time. I don’t think you all out there know, maybe some of you do, but MCR really is a family first, and a band second. or maybe both at the same time, I don’t know. Being able to write music with these guys, having our families out here through the process to make it feel like home, I feel very lucky and thankful for this great life.

In other news, I’ve started to tackle Mega Man 9. What a genius stroke by Capcom to release this game. If you guys haven’t had a chance to try it (or any of the previous in the series) you have to give it a shot. This is pure old-school gaming at its best. So far my favorite “F*&( you” moment from the designers is in Tornado Man’s stage, where some clouds offer you safe footing, while others you will pass right through and die a sorry death. Or the part in Plug Man’s stage, where the infamous disappearing blocks return. Just went you think a block will appear to stop your fall, “f&^* you!!” say the designers. In your rush to get across the bottomless pit, you forgot to notice the timing of the blocks has now changed. “f*&%(% YOUUUU!!!!”