I, Frankenstein: Aaron Eckhart Discusses Being Cast in Comic Book Adaptation
Posted 10.14.11 by Ryan
Aaron Eckhart played a classic villain in The Dark Knight, portraying Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face. His latest role will see him play a classic monster — Adam, otherwise known as Frankenstein's Monster.
Earlier this week, Eckhart was cast in the adaptation of I, Frankenstein, based on the Darkstorm Comics series written by Kevin Grevioux (Underworld). The story sees Adam survive into the modern day world where he is in the middle of a centuries-old struggle between two immortal clans. Eckhart talked about why he took the role in an interview with ComingSoon.
Somebody says, "Do you want to play Frankenstein?" and I was like, "Well, I haven't thought about it." Then I read the script. Whenever you read a script that you want to do, you start feeling yourself in that character. All of a sudden your juices start flowing. That's how you know you should do a movie. Now I'm gonna be Frankenstein and I'm kind of worried about it, actually. I've gotta go and figure out how the hell I'm gonna play Frankenstein.
We'll offer one tip to Eckhart: He doesn't have to figure out "how the hell to play Frankenstein", since Frankenstein is the name of the doctor, not his reanimated character. We're sure this will become clear though, as he is looking to Mary Shelley's original Frankenstein novel for inspiration.
Don't expect Eckhart to look much like himself. The actor agreed that playing the role will mean plenty of hours in the make-up chair. Just, don't expect neck bolts.
Oh yeah... [But] I think bolts came later. I'm not finding bolts in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I think all that sort of stuff is an invention of Hollywood. I don't know where it came from. Even the lightning isn't a big part of [her book]. Frankenstein the book deals more with the subjective. The feelings of the creature and less about the making of.
Grevioux revealed in 2009 that the bolts were, in fact, an invention of Hollywood and one owned exclusively by Universal Studios, who is not producing I, Frankenstein. The rest of the story is in the public domain.
Screenwriter Stuart Beattie (30 Days of Night, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) is adapting and directing I, Frankenstein, which will start start shooting in Australia next January for a scheduled release date of February 22, 2013.