Mark Wahlberg feeling Max Payne?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Nov 9, 2007 12:44 pm PT

This year, howls of protest erupted when Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant was cast as Agent 47 in the film adaptation of the Hitman series. Today comes casting news for another game adaption that will hopefully elicit far fewer grumbles. According to Variety, Mark Walhberg may play troubled...

This year, howls of protest erupted when Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant was cast as Agent 47 in the film adaptation of the Hitman series. Today comes casting news for another game adaption that will hopefully elicit far fewer grumbles.

According to Variety, Mark Walhberg may play troubled action hero Max Payne in the long-stalled big-screen version of Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar Games' iconic franchise. The Hollywood trade says the 20th Century Fox film is being directed by John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines, Flight of the Phoenix) from a script by newcomer Beau Thorne. Its plot will follow that of the 2001 original, which sees Payne haunted by the murder of his family by a corporate-backed drug syndicate. A 2003 sequel saw Payne in a doomed romance with a femme fatale.

If Wahlberg signs on, he will begin the project once he finishes work on The Lovely Bones with director Peter Jackson. Though he was recently nominated for an Oscar for The Departed, Wahlberg wasn't exactly considered a master thespian when he had his first brush with the game industry. His sole game appearance was in the Sega-CD title Marky Mark: Make My Video (pictured), which was among the worst-reviewed games of 1992.

150 Comments

  • mad_krips

    Posted Aug 14, 2008 7:50 pm PT

    oh man how could no one mention Kiefer Sutherland as Max Payne. With a little Bosley treatment in the front he would both look and sound like Max Payne, on top of having that gritty personality down already.

  • YamiGuzz

    Posted Jul 12, 2008 9:31 pm PT

    he's gonna be on it all right though i didn't see his face in the trailer

  • JerecMasta

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 1:39 am PT

    Look. i said it when the first forum for "a max payne movie" came out. Clive Owen. nuff said. Mark wahlberg is a rookie. sure he did a couple of good flicks like 4 bros or the departed but he doesn't cut the max payne filter. 1 man and 1 man only does. Clive Owen. its been mentioned b4 in THIS forum. check out sim city. you'll become a believer just as we all have. [Clive Owen = Max Payne]

  • Romulus99

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 5:31 am PT

    I dont mind walberg, when he does that quiet voice crap its annoying to watch him, overall a great actor, but I would rather Edward Norton for this role, hes got more balls and demands more screen attention, or even his 25th Hour co-star Barry Pepper, great actor.

  • Timbit15299

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 8:16 pm PT

    I would say Sebastian Spence (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817819/). If you've ever seen First Wave, THAT'S MAX PAYNE!!

  • jack_sparrow_28

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 4:39 pm PT

    Cool, I just hope it is a good movie. And if this dude's been nominated for stuff, it's all the better.

  • xgalacticax

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 8:09 am PT

    its not the actor im worried about, its more about them ruining the experience through a story that sucks just like almost every other movie adaptation of a game.

  • Lokar

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 4:33 pm PT

    I'm not much of a Wahlberg fan, but I will see the Max Payne movie no matter who's in it.

  • ctg867

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 6:38 pm PT

    Why is everybody hating on the Hitman movie? I personally think it looks kinda cool. It isn't House of the Dead or anything, give it a break.

  • uberjannie

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 3:43 pm PT

    He played well in four brothers

  • GR33DY83

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 12:56 pm PT

    this ones gonna be good marks a good actor, loved shooter sick movie, what bothers me is they picked clooney over mark for a GI-JOE movie coming out

  • calmendra

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 8:58 am PT

    CLIVE OWEN! SIN CITY ANYONE???
    Steve Buschemi? Give me a break....

  • flamingboard

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 8:55 am PT

    i can't get enough max payne. give me a movie or a game. just give me something.

  • RockaWuzHur

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 5:58 am PT

    Huh?

  • Ranteal

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 12:18 am PT

    Really? Max Payne? I mean isnt this franchise a little old and forgotten to be making a movie out of? This might be as bad an idea as the Hitman movie. Heres an idea. Any, and I mean any money your thinking of throwing the way of making a videogame movie, save and make a Halo or Gears of War movie. I know they would cost an arm and a leg to make, but come on now. What old, beaten franchise they gonna try and make a movie out of next? Spyhunter? Never mind.

  • hrah

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 11:56 pm PT

    clive owen would be a perfect fit for that movie

  • cqdemal

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:28 pm PT

    If only they'd picked a better director than the very pedestrian John Moore...

    By the way, that Marky Mark game cover is just the stuff roflcopters are made of.

  • GC4ever

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 7:35 pm PT

    hey i would see it even if he wasn't in it
    that was a kick ass game
    and mark isn't bad as an actor either
    can't wait

  • Rumle

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:21 pm PT

    I always saw Johnny Knoxville perfect as Max Payne

  • thomashing

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:13 pm PT

    I think Chuck Norris should be Max Payne.

  • GrimBee

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 8:16 am PT

    Walhberg is good, but without that gritty voice and middle-aged-man look - The gritty-ness of Max Payne won't be seen.

    When you employ Mark Wahlberg as a star, you expect a Mark Wahlberg experience. Watch Shooter, watch his other movies - you will see that even though his acting is great, you get the whole package when he is on screen.
    Max Payne was unknown, never took off his shirt, has a gritty voice and you would never think he would go out for revenge until he started to speak...

    I really hope that Wahlberg can draw you into the character of Max Payne, because the game - even though it was filled with shooting and guns - featured Max Payne as the main item, his voice led the story onwards and you felt connected with the character somehow. And the other characters were described through Max's eyes.

    If the movie becomes something like shoot-em-up, then the name Max Payne will not mean anything.
    Alot is riding on the name Max Payne, but unfortunately there aren't enough good actors around which can sell a movie and play the part.
    Walhberg is one of the best choices.

  • CyberKillerZ

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 8:02 am PT

    Lol................
    I agree with ypu Rob_101.

  • kratos_karmakar

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 4:02 am PT

    marky mark's great but i always thought james caviezel would be best suited for the role. he's an awesom actor not to mentionhe even looks pretty much like the original max payne(i consider max payne 1 the original 2 sucked like crazy)

  • Hector_01

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 2:58 am PT

    @"ShadoweaverCode The Max Payne games are some of my favorites! But Mark Wahlberg? I just can't see him as Max Payne. Christian Bale I think would make a better Max Payne"

    I agree mate. Christian Bale would play the part perfectly. Still Mark is a good actor and i loved shooter so yea still good.

  • mcneilmatt

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:11 am PT

    http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/payback/mel_gibson/meltwoguns.jpg

  • JJ5423

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 11:04 pm PT

    I don't thnk it would be a good decision, cause in my knowledge of the payne series, I think he would just bring a younger - annoyance Payne since he doesn't really look the age of the first Payne. But who knows, just my critcism. I'll still see it

  • smokeydubbs

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 9:54 pm PT

    I just can't see this guy as Max Payne. I think Mel Gibson or Clive Owen would be good. All I can see with Wahlburg is him using the voice from "4 Brothers" and that would kill it for me.

  • Devvy01

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 9:24 pm PT

    a great cast

  • 10010011010010

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 8:22 pm PT

    was funny back in the days as a young boy watching mtv and litening to that pop music (yes, very naive me was :-) ) and mark wahlberg has proven himself over the years and with his latest movies to be up for the job, so I am positive for this and cant wait till max payne 3 and a movie is out :-)

  • Junior_AIN

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 8:07 pm PT

    Mark Wahlberg is great! Now we have a deal!

  • V-Nine

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 7:19 pm PT

    If he doesn't make the same ugly face Max does when jumping side to side in bullet time I wont watch it.

  • WARxSnake

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 6:47 pm PT

    He was excellent in Shooter

  • gusnitro

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 4:43 pm PT

    I would love max payne in the big screen.Mark looks like a good candidate for the film.But its not really who i pictured as max payne.

  • alayeesquire

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 3:32 pm PT

    I think Ed Norton would be best for the movie.

  • Deano

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 3:03 pm PT

    There's nothing really unique about the max payne story though. A wronged cop( or person) out for vengeful justice who takes the law into his own hands. It's been done in the punisher and countless other movies.

  • Factor-Zer0

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 1:51 pm PT

    God I hope not. That would ruin it.

  • wargraymon

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 6:27 am PT

    i like marky mark and all but ain't he too short to be maxy max?

  • wargraymon

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 6:25 am PT

    sounds like it should be a decent movie but i would have killed to see john woo direct it, i mean it has his name all over it.

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 5:58 am PT

    not cool

  • Ice_man_1985

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 5:13 am PT

    one of the best actors in my list.

  • PS360Fanboy

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 3:36 am PT

    He'd be great has Max Payne

  • rob3nelson

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 12:20 am PT

    Mark Wahlberg is super-cool. I have been a fan of his ever since Boogie Nights, one of my favorite movies. Although since then, he hasn't been in anything good except The Departed, I still like him and think he'd make a great Max Payne. I love the Max Payne series and have played through both the first and second ones. He makes a perfect fit and will even bring some of the "sleaze-factor" to the character that will give him more depth. If he's in it, I will definitely see it. If not, I'm not so sure.

  • Col-Neil

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 4:16 pm PT

    I did like him in the departed, but i dunno im just so weary of any video game movie, guess im just to synical lol

  • moose99

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 3:42 pm PT

    The only actors suggested so far that look anything like Max are Eric Mabius and Johnny Knoxville. I think the man for the role would be Dean Winters, the guy who played "Johnny" on the fantastic show "Rescue Me." (Ironically, the guy who voiced Max in the games was also in "Rescue Me," playing the ghost / hallucination of Tommy's dead cousin, Jimmy).

  • pysaki

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 1:14 pm PT

    Why does he keep taking these kinds of roles if he hates guns so much? I think he'll do a fine job, it just ruins it a bit for me when I know he isn't really into it.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 12:21 pm PT

    I just don't think he's noir material, but still, I don't think he'll do too bad, and he just may work out in the end

  • Alvaro_20

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 11:39 am PT

    he's turned into a great actor, yeah.. he'll fit the bill, definitely..

  • dark_harpy

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 11:07 am PT

    Mark Wahlberg is a good actor, but I don't think he has the right look and mood. After watching "Shoot them up" (and Sin City) my vote goes for Clive Owen.

  • kornrocker666

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 10:10 am PT

    I think his face fits the part, but his voice isnt deep enough . Nah jk I really think hed do a great job in the role. That movie could be so badass if done right.

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