Knowing of Gore Verbinski’s current project to adapt Bioshock, I have decided that the way to go in terms of horror video game adaptation is to diverge from complete science fiction and focus on the psychological horror: something more real, more gritty –
Condemned: Criminal Origins.
Instead of using the full title,
Condemned : Criminal Origins, we’ll keep the title short to
Condemned, leaving the audience questioning who, exactly is the condemned here – Our antihero? Or the souls after him?
Condemned
Story and Plot:
Condemned focuses both on psychological horror as well as mass panic schizophrenic horror. Ethan Thomas is an SCU investigator in the fictional city of “Metro City” where, inexplicably, the homeless, the derelicts, the junkies, all, are suddenly turning into violent and raging criminals. News broadcasts burst with stories of mysterious bouts of rage and aggression, pushing both the citizens of Metro City and the audience into panic. The main story line focuses on Ethan Thomas tracking down Serial Killer X, a serial killer who is hunting down and copycat killing other serial killers while simultaneously stalking and following Thomas’ work. While Thomas is on the trail of the mysterious SKX, he also finds himself descending into his own psychological struggles – seeing visions of inhuman creatures amidst his crazed human attackers. Is it Thomas who is going insane? Or is Metro City truly being overrun by these dark creatures? The dip into the super natural will allow Gans, once again, to create a truly creepy counter-universe filled with terrifying visions of creatures that begs the question: Who are the
real monsters? Us, or them?
Ethan Thomas is aided by Rosa, the department’s forensic investigator. He sends his findings to Rosa who then analyzes and interprets them in the lab. Thomas is also aided by the mysterious Malcolm Vanhorn, Ahab foil to SKX who seems to know much more about what is happening in Metro City than he leads on.
Business Case:
True horror is the horror that hits close to home.
Condemned will not only rope in video game fanboys, but will also attract the horror audience with its gritty portrayal of shock, panic, and surrealism.
Condemned will appeal to fans of the infected genre (frenetic depictions of the violent people of Metro City), the monster/super natural genre (creepy CGI visions of the inhuman creatures that haunt Thomas), the crime investigative genre (filled with delightful visions of macabre gore a la Se7en), and the psychological genre (first-person story of Thomas’ decent into darkness). Also, when adapting
Condemned, we are also securing a franchise, keeping in mind that the first
Condemned will focus on the first video game,
Criminal Origins, while a sequel will be in the works during or post-production for the adaptation of
Condemned 2: Bloodshot.
Writing Staff:
While
Roger Avary penned Silent Hill, I would like to avoid him this time around (though he worked on
True Romance and
Reservoir Dogs,
Condemned is going after a different tone and, quite frankly,
Beowulf is a blight on his writing resume).
Condemned will be a horrifying first person character piece told through the eyes of our unreliable narrator Thomas. I think that we should reach out to
Alex Garland (
28 Days Later,
Sunshine), who seems to be able to capture both the inner psychotic struggle of the main character but also the paranoid vibration of an entire world falling apart.
Suggested Casting:
Ethan Thomas: For Ethan Thomas, we need someone who is young, handsome yet rugged. He needs to be liked by the audience but also pitied and feared at the same time. I suggest that we cast as lesser known so as to do away with audience expectations going into this role. I think that
AJ Bowen would be perfect – His breakout role in
The Signal proves that he can show various sides to a man: Pure threat, obsession, and pathos. While we feared him in
The Signal, we pitied him as well. We need that rugged, dirty raw energy brought to the screen for
Condemned.
Rosa: For Rosa, we need someone who is also rugged, strong, but also has a vulnerable side (as she will eventually serve as Big Bad fodder). I suggest that we pursue
Michelle Rodriguez to breathe life into this small yet integral role. She will be the grounding point, the rock to Thomas’ descent as he starts to lose his focus. She is straight and strong, but also loyal and focused.
Malcolm Vanhorn: For Malcolm Vanhorn, we need an older gentleman (old enough to be Thomas’ father) who is striking, intriguing, and vibrant. I think that
Peter Weller will fit perfectly into this role – His striking visage adding an air of mystery and intrigue into the role, and his cult reputation adding bodies in the seats.
Serial Killer X: For SKX, we need someone who is the same age as Thomas. We also need someone who can be placid yet terrifying at the same time, his calmness adding threat to his onscreen appearance.
Cillian Murphy seems perfect for the role, previously playing victim-turned-monster in
28 Days Later, and larger-than-life Big Bad in
Batman Begins. Murphy’s high cheekbones and clear complexion creates a beautiful yet oddly creepy visage; hollowed out like a corpse, but chiseled like a mall mannequin. This queer beauty will be a perfect foil to Thomas’ rough appearance. Also, in a certain light, Murphy resembles the aged Weller, which will aid the eventual reveal of their relationship (SKX being the nephew of Vanhorn).
Marketing
Condemned focuses mainly on the consequences of mass madness and widespread panic. Our viral marketing campaign will be a series of short faux news briefs covering the “mysterious outbreaks of violence and crime in the Metro area.” We’ll see various news correspondents in front of burning buildings (example: a library that mysteriously resembles New York’s Public – it’s lions dark with soot), faux tickers underneath marking the next attack while the correspondent fights to keep their composure. The “news briefs” will also cover the exploits of SKX, alluding to murders that will not be on screen in the film and that will add to the mystique of the antagonist of the upcoming movie.