A little information on where the film adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan‘s Y: The Last Man comic series stands at the moment has finally surfaced.
D.J. Caruso (Disturbia), who will direct the script by Carl Ellsworth (Red Eye, Disturbia), is hoping for a 2010 release, as well as a film trilogy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the comic book series, Y: The Last Man follows Yorick Brown, a young escape artist and his monkey Ampersand. One day something happens; no one knows why, no one knows how, but every single living male with the Y chromosome dies, leaving only females and a very, very confused Yorick Brown.
After that basic premise starts some of the very best, most compelling storylines I (and many others) have read. Seriously, every single time that someone writes about this title, they tell you it’s one of the best things ever made and that is not on accident. If you’ve not read this, you really should seek it out. They even have all of the comics compacted into a sweet little graphic novel collection that everyone should own four sets of.
While on a trip to DreamWorks, our friend Peter Sciretta from /Film and other online writer-types were able to chat with director D.J. Caruso, the man behind Disturbia, Eagle Eye, and the much-anticipated Y: The Last Man. In said chit-chat, Caruso filled everyone in on what’s going on, including clearing up that the film was originally going to be with New Line, but now New Line is part of Warner Bros., and WB is very much all about this project, which is a good thing.
Carl Ellsworth (Red Eye, Disturbia) should be handing in a draft of the script very soon, and that could set the ball rolling. Everyone has their fingers crossed from there. Caruso has hopes and dreams for a 2010 release, but just an official greenlight would be a fantastic start right now, if you ask me, especially because Caruso previously said that he sees this as a trilogy.
I definitely see it as a trilogy. I see the first movie ending basically where you pick up six weeks after the incident then progressing down only a five or six week journey from that point on until the end of the first movie. It’s been hard in a good way just because there is so much good stuff to choose from. And every-time you start throwing certain scenes in the screenplay, you’ll see that it sort of dislodges and starts to head a different way.
This has to AT LEAST be a trilogy. If you’ve read the series, you know there’s just way too much great stuff going on for one movie to hold.
Also long-rumored for this project in the role of Yorick is Shia Labeouf, which I don’t much know what to think about anymore. When the project was first talked about and his name was mentioned I thought it was absolutely perfect for LaBeouf as he was still on the rise as a talented, young actor. Now, while I still think he’s a talented kid and good for the role, I’m not sure how I feel about it here specifically. For some reason, one person decided to be immediately sick of him after only a few movies and began to shout that opinion to world; everyone heard and figured it must be right, so they went along with it. Because of this mass, unexplained Shia-hatred, I fear Y wouldn’t get the attention it very much deserves and that bothers me. I want this movie to be as monumentally bad-ass as it can and should be and in order for that to happen and for them to make the desired trilogy, people need to realize that Shia Labeouf isn’t as bad as everyone seems to make him out to be, OR they need a fresh new face for the role.
In regard to Labeouf, Caruso said:
I was talking to Shia about this yesterday when we were looping him, because he really wants to do it as well, I would like to prep this movie in October, and start shooting it by January. Warner Bros keeps saying “˜We need movies for 2010″² I’m like “˜We’re the movie!’ [Shia] wants to do it, I want to do it. I think we just need to worry about him being exhausted, so I told him, if I prep it in the fall and we start in January, that’s a nice big break.
All in all, this is good news. The project seems to have appeal to Warner, which obviously realizes how good it is, things could potentially get moving very soon. My biggest concerns are the casting/consumer speed bump as well as the always-dreaded final rating (this should without question be a hard R-rating), but we can worry about such things later.
Until then, things look good. More to come soon!
A little information on where the film adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan‘s Y: The Last Man comic series stands at the moment has finally surfaced.
Thanks for covering this. I first learned about Y a few years ago because of a huge display at San Diego Comic-Con. It’s on my TBR pile and what a treat if I can follow that up with the movie.
By the time the film rolls out, I think Shia LaBeouf will be just the right age and will bring just the right gravitas to the role. Sweet!
Comment by Heather — July 24, 2008 @ 11:16 am
A world without men, that’s a concept that’s been done a few times. Anybody remember that Slider’s episode? The movie will do very well though. Shia LaBeouf may be the right age though, its true.
Comment by Supernetuser — July 24, 2008 @ 5:27 pm