According to Deadline, John Cusack is set to star in Utopia, Amazon’s adaptation of the British series of the same name, which revolves around a group of young people who are “mercilessly hunted by a shadowy deep state organization” after they find a “near-mythical cult underground graphic novel.” The comic isn’t Alan Moore’s Miracleman or whatever, though, as it’s actually some kind of glimpse into terrifying conspiracy theories that may actually be real—though being hunted by a shadowy deep state organization is usually a hint that you’re on to something. Amazon’s series will be written by Gillian Flynn (of Gone Girl and Sharp Objects fame), following a troubled development that originally saw it being set up at HBO with David Fincher directing and Eric McCormack, Colm Feore, Jason Ritter, and Rooney Mara starring.
They’re all gone now that the project has moved over to Amazon, with the aforementioned Cusack set to appear alongside Rainn Wilson, Sasha Lane, and child actor Javon Walton. Deadline says Cusack will be a “charismatic and media-savvy” scientist who wants to “altruistically” save the world. (That means he’s either a secret a bad guy or an unwitting pawn for the bad guys.)
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Just today, after reading that Romance Meets Comedy piece on Say Anything, I was thinking it was time for someone to cast Cusack in a prestige TV show. He’s been wallowing around in the never-released-in-theaters-thriller market for a lot of years now.
is this one of the movies where he wears a black baseball hat
He’s a secret good guy, I bet. Comes off like an ass. Never shares anything. Always cagey and makes rash decisions. Whenever he isn’t on screen, all the other characters openly question his motives. The lead actress will directly question his motives at least once an episode, and by the end of the season, she will actively be working against him. Of course, what none of them realize is he is working to protect The Project, and the villain act is just for show.
Secret bad guy with a redemption arc. Calling it now.
So, he’s Iron Man?
The original show was excellent. I can’t say that the star of a dozen recent direct-to-video raises much excitement for a remake.
well, if they’re doing a direct adaptation, then it sounds like cusack may be playing either milner or philip carvel. tbh ‘“charismatic and media-savvy” scientist’ sounds like a mixture of the twoin whatever case, count me as uninterested as i was when rooney mara and david fincher were involved
What was great about the original show was it’s sheer Britishness. It had a very 2000AD vibe to it. It sucked that Channel 4 cancelled it before it came to a proper conclusion.
Will be interesting to see if it translates to American in a good way, although I have quite the many doubts.
I very seriously doubt the new adaptation can recapture the aesthetic of the original show, its use of colour and framing was outright some of the best I’ve ever seen
My issue with the final episode is they did a fantastic job of tying up all of the loose ends from the past 2 seasons fine. But they just had to add a cliffhanger that wasn’t needed. Just ignore the final 10 minutes of the final episode and you have a near perfect show.
He looks like Dave Matthews in the header image.
He looks like Dylan Moran as Bernard Black on his third day of rehab.
Cusack as “charismatic” character? This really is science fiction. Sorry, I’m sure he’s a swell guy, but I have never found him believable in anything.
John Cusack used to be so cool. I hope this sparks something of a career revival for him
WTF is this, Cusack? Mascara and a bad hair dye job? Have some dignity FFS
The comic isn’t Alan Moore’s Miracleman or whatever, though, as it’s actually some kind of glimpse into terrifying conspiracy theories that may actually be realSo, Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles, then.