Exclusive Interview With Hulk & Punisher Producer Gale Anne Hurd

By George 'El Guapo' Roush on December 3, 2008

Gale Ann Hurd is one the coolest producers in Hollywood. She's always friendly to press (well, at least to me anyway) and her enthusiasm for comic book properties really shows when you ask her about them.

I had a chance to sit down and talk to Gale for a few minutes about Punisher: War Zone, that gosh darned PG-13 rumor I got wind of from an unnamed source, (that was thankfully debunked) and her upcoming projects including Gearhead. I do ask about Hulk 2, but that Gale is a tough nut to crack! I knew I should have brought some hundreds with me. Conversation in progress because I forgot to hit Record about 30 seconds in. I'm a total professional.

Hurd: …we wouldn't have spent all that money on all that violence if we hadn't intended to –

I thought maybe because the 'Dark Knight' had been so successful as a PG-13 movie that the studios would want to follow suit.

Hurd: Yeah. You can't do the 'Punisher' as a PG-13. I mean, that would violate every tenet of why the 'Punisher' is even unique.

Even running a story that studios are looking at a PG-13 cut and the fans get up in arms, there's that one possibility that someone's going to think it's not going to be hardcore.

Hurd: That was never the case. It was never ever, ever the case.

In regard to the previous two 'Punishers', what do you think this film does right that the others didn't do?

Hurd: There are a few things. The first is that the film is set in New York City with a great nemesis. Regardless of whether you thought he was over the top a little he was taken directly from the comic book and the film is populated with characters from the comic books and the look of the comic book is there with Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle. He honestly looks like he came out of a Tim Bradstreet cover.

I did think that you nailed it while I was watching the movie, that he was The Punisher. No remorse at all. Are there any extended scenes or things that didn't make the film? Is the film even more violent than what we've seen onscreen?

Hurd: All the violence is in there. There might be extra camera angles, but there are no scenes that were cut that were action scenes.

So with a rated R movie you can go really far without worry that the MPAA will tell you to cut stuff down?

Hurd: I can't speak for the MPAA, but I think they understand that this is a comic book movie and I think the tone of the film, that part helped us as well because with this tone there is, from the MPAA's point of view there's comic book violence and then there's violence. We're dealing with comic book characters and so I think the MPAA rightly so looks at it and says, 'Okay, we understand that these are comic book characters. They're not going to inspire anyone in the audience to go out and do the same thing.'

Do you think they've grown up over the years? I remember when 'Robocop' came out they demanded three seconds be cut.

Hurd: Well, when we did 'Terminator' they wanted to give us an X. I mean, go back and look at 'Terminator'. It's tame. I had to go before the MPAA and talk with them. We talked it through and ultimately didn't have to make any cuts at all, but yes, things have changed. Then again back then there weren't a lot of films in this kind of genre regardless of whether they came from comic books ultimately inspired comic books or could've been comic books and that's very different. It's not only a genre now, but it's the most successful genre.

What is it about the genre that you like so much and that attracts you to the properties?

Hurd: I especially love that the outsider, the hero, the anti-hero specifically which is true of so many successful films whether that's 'Iron Man' or 'Dark Knight' or even 'The Hulk' – I don't quite get the 'Supermans'. I like the dark characters.

Marvel is more known for that than DC.

Hurd: Marvel is, yeah.

Tim Blake Nelson talked about wanting to play The Leader in 'The Hulk'. Have there been sequel talks?

Hurd: Just 'Avengers'. But yes, the more that the online community says, 'We want to see a sequel –' the more likely it is that it'll happen.

So it'd be Hulk as a part of The Avengers? Will Hulk be the villain, or part of the team then become a villain?

Hurd: I don't know and if I did I couldn't tell you.

But as far as a sequel for 'The Hulk' would you like to see the same cast?

Hurd: I'd love to.

I thought that Edward Norton was great.

Hurd: Edward was great, and he and Tim Blake Nelson – Tim Blake Nelson just directed him so they have a great relationship.

You're like the female Guillermo del Toro. You have more projects coming up than anyone I know. One of them is 'Boston Strangler'.

Hurd: Yes. That should start filming in the spring. It's based on Susan Kelly's book. It's a very interesting thing. We all think that we know the story of the Boston Strangler. There was even a movie that starred Tony Curtis and Henry Fonda. There was a guy named Albert DeSalvo and he strangled thirteen women. Well, the truth is that he was never tried for the crimes. There was not one bit of evidence linking him to the crimes. He confessed, but to this day all the Boston stranglings are considered unsolved crimes. Who better to direct than Brian (De Palma).

What about 'Final Orbit'?

Hurd: 'Final Orbit'. We're in discussions right now. We've got a writer and we're in discussions with the director.

'Gearhead' was just announced.

Hurd: Yes. It is very cool.

What's it about basically?

Hurd: It's a lawless America sometime in a future, an alternate America in which the outcasts are living outside of society and regular society is run by some pretty villainous superheroes. Once again I love the idea of the outcast.

It's a female lead too, right?

Hurd: It is a female. Yes, she is.

Have you been looking for her?

Hurd: Well, we're in the early stages.

What about 'Magdalena'?

Hurd: That's the Top Cow comic 'Magdalena'. We have a writer onboard.

Is it a Biblical story?

Hurd: No. I mean, it's inspired by the Lion of the Magdalena. She is a descendant. Her weapon is the spirit destiny. It's kind of cool. Imagine 'Da Vinci Code' meets 'Wanted'.

What about 'Mercury'? Is that coming out next year?

Hurd: I think, right now…we don't have a director on board yet so we'll see on that.

Thanks to Gale for the chat. I know she was sitting there with about a 100 degree fever, so she's a real trooper for coming out and talking to the press all day.

Make sure you check out Punisher: War Zone this Friday! It's a really fun action packed movie. Click HERE to read my review.

Nobody will punish you if you follow me at Twitter!

Source:Latinoreview

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  Comments

• PUMPED!! Thu Dec 04 at 13:40 EST

  iam going to a midnight showing tonight im so freaking pumped iam just scanning and reading some punisher MAX.

  Author: !_! | Permalink

• Cant wait! Thu Dec 04 at 11:48 EST

  Punisher!!!!!!

  Author: 420band | Permalink

• Tight Thu Dec 04 at 09:18 EST

  She seemed a bit tight lipped about the Marvel shit huh?

  Author: Chad | Permalink

• Boston Strangler Thu Dec 04 at 09:08 EST

  Can't wait for that one.

  Author: Casey | Permalink

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