Chris O'Donnell joins Max Payne movie

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Apr 4, 2008 2:44 pm PT

The past decade is littered with lackluster game-to-film projects: Doom, Hitman, Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Adventure to name a few. So it was with no small amount of trepidation that fans of Max Payne greeted news that Remedy's...

The past decade is littered with lackluster game-to-film projects: Doom, Hitman, Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Adventure to name a few. So it was with no small amount of trepidation that fans of Max Payne greeted news that Remedy's classic shooter series was getting the Hollywood treatment.

Some fans' fears were assuaged when Oscar-nominated actor Mark Wahlberg was cast as the lead in the Max Payne film, which is currently shooting in Toronto. However, others were realized when first-time screenwriter Beau Thorne was hired to pen the script and less-than-acclaimed director John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) was brought on board.

Today comes news that will receive a mixed reception by many cineastes. According to Entertainment Weekly, Chris O'Donnell has signed up for a major role in Max Payne. O'Donnell, who is most famous for his portrayal of faithful sidekick Robin in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, hasn't had a major screen role since a spate of turn of the century box-office duds including The Vertical Limit and The Bachelor. (The author had the "pleasure" of reviewing both in a former career--ed.) Most recently, he costarred with Alfred Molina (Boogie Nights, Spider-Man 2) in the decently reviewed TNT original miniseries The Company.

According to EW, O'Donnell will play an "executive" named Jason Colvin in Max Payne. Though it is unclear what company the Colvin character will work for, it is worth noting the first Max Payne game concerned a multinational corporation bankrolling a murderous, mob-backed drug distribution ring.

Max Payne is currently scheduled to hit theaters in mid-October. It is unclear when--or even if--a third Max Payne game will be released.

136 Comments

  • villain2

    Posted Oct 23, 2008 6:17 pm PT

    Someone got the genius idea of rearranging the story because "general audiences" wouldn't get the whole thing.

    So, we'll wipe out the wit, the humor, the clever writing, the intensity of the "one cop against the mob during the worst snowstorm in 100 years" thing and do a pedestrian action film with some Max Payne stuff sprinkled over it.

    This is a pretty good review of Max Payne here -> http://webchannel24.com/entertainment/articles.php?pageid=articles&articleID=935

  • Iceman_1010

    Posted Oct 12, 2008 11:03 pm PT

    They should have just stuck with the games story line. They really shouldn't call it Max Payne if they are going to put angels and demons in it. Why does Hollywood have to find good stories and turn them into sh** movies?

  • maddog2575

    Posted Oct 12, 2008 7:02 pm PT

    i just dont get it? the whole heaven and hell thing wasnt even in the games? what the hell is up with the plot? oh well i still think ill go see it.

  • crapiscool124

    Posted Oct 6, 2008 10:02 pm PT

    This looks s**t! ive seen the preveiw and i've read about it and the plot is crap! Max has to find the killers of his family and then somehow gets caught in a battle between heaven and hell. If you don't think that is a bad game to movie you have major problems and should see a doctor!

  • DecadesOfGaming

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 11:19 am PT

    Somebody please shoot the director through the head before he gets the chance to screw this movie up like all the other BAD game movies. LEAVE OUR GAMES ALONE YOU MUPPETS !

  • kamoteus

    Posted May 6, 2008 4:48 pm PT

    this would hurt

  • YamiGuzz

    Posted May 1, 2008 9:08 pm PT

    all right! i can't wait for it!

  • vufor

    Posted Apr 17, 2008 8:12 am PT

    The Game was great but I dont think the movie wil be same as the game it self. History show that the impression that we are getting from movies based on games are so far have not hit the top. Despite, I will wait for this movie with excitement as I do for the thrid part of the gaem, will see how it goes, I think or I hope we wont dissapointed.

    Max Payne rules, and there is some tough work to keep him rulling in movie.

  • BarkotGamer

    Posted Apr 16, 2008 6:50 pm PT

    omg people calm down, this movie maybe great after all, who knows? its MAX PAYNE AFTER ALL WOOHOO

  • nik_cscz

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 10:15 am PT

    isnt keanu reeves suitable for max payne...
    i think the best person for playing max would be Sam Lake himself...
    a tribute to the greatest story writer

  • nik_cscz

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 10:12 am PT

    make him do Frankie niagra...will be quick ....and not much to panic about...

  • gusnitro

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 2:18 am PT

    on the other hand. Ashton Kutcher can pull of a pretty cool max payne!

    Lol. jk. THis film better not fail.

  • gusnitro

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 2:14 am PT

    Haha clint eastwood? hes way too old now.

    In my mind i think that George Clooney can pull off a pretty good max payne.jk.Lol.hhmmm maybe.

  • Petri87

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 3:24 pm PT

    @eKMaxPayne - Where won't be a Max Payne game released by Remedy in about 5 years or ever. Max Payne is awesome but I think the guys over there in Finland know that it would be hard to top the first two games and probebly will be their Diablo 3. Meaning they probebly will work on it secret from time to time, but never actually release it.

  • Petri87

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 3:19 pm PT

    Awesome! He was so awesome in Batman and Robin(greatest movie ever made) and he will totally not ruine the whole movie whit hes awesome Paul Walker level of acting. BTW This is sarcasm, maby you've heard of it.

  • samedizombie

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 3:10 pm PT

    I take it that I'm the only one who thought Doom was a good movie then?

  • advandam

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 1:33 pm PT

    i wouldn't worry, i'd forgotten he even existed until this article, so i'll doubt you'll ever remember watching him in this. i wish the watchowski brothers (matrix /bound, v-for vendetta) were doin this, it had them written all over this. still don't think the appearance of "robin" will doom this

  • vicsrealms

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 11:58 am PT

    He was in something other then Highlander the Series!!???

  • arinas1974

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 8:50 am PT

    Clive Owen would be better to play Max Payne. At least he looks more menacing and disturbed than Wahlberg. Maybe the voice would be the problem with Owen, though.

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 8:10 am PT

    i hope it would be a good one PLEASE.

  • Santhin

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 7:43 am PT

    Clint Eastwood would be my first choice for casting Max. He can do the face and the right style of voice I think.

  • MAGUIRE16

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 3:01 am PT

    CUDNT THEY NOT OF JUST GOT JOHNNY KNOCKSVILLE??

  • declasse

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 12:41 am PT

    Well, usually films from games have big name actors/directors/writers and so on.... so maybe as this is full of lesser knowns it might be good! worth a shot! i'll see it.

  • gusnitro

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 10:46 pm PT

    If this movie is not rated R. Im not gonna see this damn movie!

    Anyways, i think mark would be a terrific actor for max payne.But i just dont think lhe could pull it off that deep angry voice. Which makes max payne who he is in the game.

  • kara248

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 9:59 pm PT

    What are Gamespot talking about? Hitman was a great movie! Everyone I know loved it. I loved it. The only reason why they said that Hitman is bad is because the reviewers said Hitman was bad. GOD! So many people like this movie, but it didn't get good reviewers, so it's straight away displayed as a flop?! It is considered a box office success by it's creators! I hate those reviewers. Lets put it straight... HITMAN is great, don't believe the reviewers people.

  • vadicta

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 5:36 pm PT

    I don't really care about the movie, hitman kinda suckedt his wil to. The world keeps turnin, and we all keep playin. JUST GIVE ME ANNOTHER MAX PAYNE GAME!!!

  • flamingboard

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 3:28 pm PT

    if they stick close to the game it should be awesome because the max payne games are already like 10 hour long epic action movies. if they do a re-imagining it will be awful.

  • NyGin07

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 2:38 pm PT

    a video game movie? why, those things are awful!

  • GriffinLord602

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 1:58 pm PT

    Shouldn't the guy who plays Payne, be a bit more gritty than Chris O'Donnel, because... I mean someone like Bruce Willis "might" be able to pull Payne off really well..

  • GriffinLord602

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 1:49 pm PT

    Shouldn't the guy who plays Payne, be a bit more gritty than Chris O'Donnel, because... I mean someone like Bruce Willis "might" be able to pull Payne off really well..

  • GriffinLord602

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 1:47 pm PT

    Shouldn't the guy who plays Payne, be a bit more gritty than Chris O'Donnel, because... I mean someone like Bruce Willis "might" be able to pull Payne off really well..

  • GriffinLord602

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 1:47 pm PT

    Shouldn't the guy who plays Payne, be a bit more gritty than Chris O'Donnel, because... I mean someone like Bruce Willis "might" be able to pull Payne off really well..

  • FallenAngel

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 1:17 pm PT

    Markie Mark as Max Payne - Brilliant

    Chris O Donnell as ANYTHING in a Max Payne film - Not quite

    He still hasn't wiped out the stench of Robin from his body.

  • Desert-Storm

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 12:18 pm PT

    If this movie isn't going to be rated R then I'm not watching it, at least not with my money.

  • Thisisfufd

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 7:45 am PT

    Me personally I like the batman movies starting in 1989 with Michael Keaton as Joker and foward. The one with Adam west is so gay

  • joe78man

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 7:10 am PT

    There are plenty of games with stories much more interesting and rich that any popcorn movie Hollywood could present us. The problem is that they only care about doing something to fill the cinemas instead making a good movie. If the director doesn't know the original comic/game, we are doomed. They never respect them, that's why you leave the cinema with an empty sensation. Just hope is, at least watchable.

  • thenephariouson

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 3:52 am PT

    im really glad to hear theyre doin MP3, just hope its by the same team and has the same main character voice. as long as the Holywood movie has no influence on the game i really dont care if it fails misserably (which it probably will), just want the game to be fantastic

  • leke

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 2:59 am PT

    Im suprised the Resident evil 2 got worse reviews than the 3rd one since most people agree that the 3rd was rubbish.

  • filaria

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 1:09 am PT

    a 3rd max Payne installment would be much better than a Max Payne Movie....they've kept us waiting long enough,4 years since the last max payne title...how much longer????....

  • pakokonka

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 12:22 am PT

    I'll just skip it and wait for Max Payne 3.

  • EMZA64

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 11:44 pm PT

    A Max Payne movie? Chris O'Donnell, whom played the Robin role in Batman & Robin? COOL!

  • ZombieViking

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 10:55 pm PT

    Max Payne might be a cool movie.

  • speed45823

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 10:40 pm PT

    this movie's got every potential to suck. Maybe its time for Max payne 3. This game's eventually come cause its ROCKSTAR. Unless of course EA screws with them.

  • FraggedRabbit

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 10:36 pm PT

    No No No Oh god PLEASE NO!!
    Another great game series crucified...crucify something rubbish next time...

  • lordmt

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 8:41 pm PT

    a max payne movie. Dam i sure am not informed well. =p

  • Robbie785

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 8:27 pm PT

    edward nortan would be great a great max, that is all i have to say

  • TrueOwnage

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 8:11 pm PT

    Cool

  • saris340

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 8:06 pm PT

    They said he's gonna play an executive. Maybe he can be a whiny executive that dies in a whiny way.

  • dantesergei

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 6:59 pm PT

    OMG please stop this hollywood you are ******* all the video games with your ********

  • polsci1503

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 5:18 pm PT

    I liked RE: Apocalypse... I just saw Hitman the other day and it was pretty bad. The fight scenes were terrible and the voice dubbing on the scenes inside the car were laughable. Olyphant can do better.

    I hope they do a good job with Max Payne, which is a great series. I have no problem with O'Donnell being on board. I met him in Atlanta before one of the Batman premieres and he was a nice guy.

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