John August To Write Monsterpocalypse For Tim Burton?
Last month, it was reported thatTim Burtonhad become attached as a creative consultant, producer and possibly director of the Disney/Dreamworks film based onMonsterpocalypse, a board game Russ described as “part strategy, partKaiju Big Battel, and partRampage!, all played out with miniatures on a tabletop.”
NowHeatVisionreports thatJohn Augustis in negotiations to pen the feature adaptation, which might further confirm Burton’s possible involvement as director. Those of you following August’s career know that he is Burton’s constant collaborator. Talks are said to be “ongoing”.
This is the type of film I would have loved to see Burton do fifteen years ago, but now it seems like it would be a artist trying to recapture the magic of his previous work. Personally, I’d rather see any of the following filmmakers take on this property:Incredibles/Ratatouilledirector Brad Bird,Gremlins/Small Soldiersdirector Joe Dante, or maybe even the live-action directorial debut ofUp/Monsters Incdirecrtor Pete Docter. Hey, at least Shawn Levy and Stephen Sommers’s names are no where near this one.
August broke onto the scene with a spec script titledGo, which was directed for the screen by Doug Liman (a film I highly recommend). Since then August has written a bunch of adaptations and remakes, mostly in association with director Tim Burton (Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride). He made a fantastic directorial debut with an original independent sci-fi mystery dramaThe Nines, and he’s producingPrince of Persia, wrotePreacher, and is also attached to Burton’sFrankenweenieandDark Shadows. Personally, I’d love to see him write more original scripts and less adaptations, and maybe give the directors chair another couple tries.
Previously:Matt Wilson, who created the game, is on board as co-producer. The originalMonsterpocalypsegame calls back to some of the classic Games Workshop tabletop miniatures games likeSpace Hulkin the way that minuatures and a contained map are used in gameplay. More specifically, fromthe game’s website:
It is still unknown how they plan to approach this film.
