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The Rock to play Fenix in Gears film? News

Xbox 360 News by Robert Purchese

11 May, 2009

Gears of War film writer Chris Morgan thinks beefy ex-wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson would make a great Marcus Fenix because he can be tough and show his emotions.

"Normally when I write, I think about the actor I'm writing for, but this one's been difficult," Morgan told MTV Movies.

"It is a vital casting choice. It's counter-intuitive really, because it seems like you want to get a big character - a big tough guy who can play it stoic the whole time - but in my experience, dealing with macho sorts of movies and dealing with Dom [Vin Diesel's character in Fast & Furious] and that kind of stuff, it's harder to play the tough guy than an emotional character who's all over the place.

"The Rock is awesome," he added. "There's a genuine actor. Not only can he play the tough guy, but he can also play the nuanced, sensitive funny sad moments as well."

Morgan said the actor playing Fenix also needn't be as muscular as his virtual counterpart, so long as he's "a guy you believe can throw a punch and a guy you believe is stoic, locked in his own head, and [can] show emotion without telegraphing it".

Casting hasn't yet begun, as the Gears of War script has only just been finished and the team is now budgeting out the project.

Die Hard 4.0 director Len Wiseman will boss the project, and the film is expected in cinemas next year.

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Comments: 1-50 of 65 in total | next 50 »

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The Bodybuilder
11/05/09 @ 09:45
#1
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No Rock, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, DON'T TOUCH IT.
Eraysor
11/05/09 @ 09:50
#2
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I hope he doesn't get the role, if only because I'll be shouting his wrestling quotes every time he stomps a locust.
miiiguel
11/05/09 @ 09:50
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Oh no! I was hoping they choose Mickey Rourke.
menage
11/05/09 @ 09:51
#4
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I thought Fenix was more of a redneck.
VicViper
11/05/09 @ 09:51
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bad Chris Morgan, think about what youre saying, no more casting control for you
dustrat
11/05/09 @ 09:52
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Damn. He sucks.
Lexx87
11/05/09 @ 09:53
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Mickey Rourke would be much better!
Lexx87
11/05/09 @ 09:54
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The Rock = Generic Action FIlm 54
JahB
11/05/09 @ 09:55
#9
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i always thought marcus fenix was white?
aldo_14
11/05/09 @ 09:55
#10
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Yeah, and I'm the genuine pope, shitting in the genuine woods.
alimokrane
11/05/09 @ 09:57
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We're all DOOOOOOMED!
Wastelander
11/05/09 @ 09:58
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;_;

The only guy for Marcus is 1980's Berenger.
gabsta69
11/05/09 @ 09:58
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Surely if you are going to go by the wrestler motive - wouldnt Batista be better? He actually looks like Marcus Fenix
PearOfAnguish
11/05/09 @ 10:12
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I think The Rock is actually a pretty good actor when he gets the right part, he was great in The Rundown and Southland Tales. Don't like him in generic action roles though.
mrpon
11/05/09 @ 10:17
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Yup
zisssou
11/05/09 @ 10:19
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Southland Tales was bollocks.
ZuluHero
11/05/09 @ 10:22
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I like the Rock, I think he's quite charismatic.

What about someone like Ron Perlman as Fenix?
muscleblade
11/05/09 @ 10:24
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He could be one of the actors. Not Fenix though. Batista would be perfect. He isnt an actor though.
miiiguel
11/05/09 @ 10:41
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Ffs, Rock isn't an actor either.
jonsaan
11/05/09 @ 10:43
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I thought the Doom film was pretty good!
mattigan
11/05/09 @ 10:45
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Neither's the guy who voiced Fenix in the game, as far as I can tell...
patch
11/05/09 @ 10:45
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You've all forgot the inverted commas around "The Rock"... and also the ones around "actor".

Getting pretty tired of them doing sh*tty film versions of games. Was hopeful this one would be different.
lambtron
11/05/09 @ 10:50
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The Rock was good in Southland Tales.

That is all.
CARL05
11/05/09 @ 10:51
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"Batista would be perfect. He isnt an actor though."

erm.. all american wrestlers are actors!
You don't actually think the crazy shit they do is real do you?

Edit: but I should add that they aren't particularly good actors, not even the rock.
Edited 2 times, most recently on 11/05/09 @ 11:53
RexRunti
11/05/09 @ 10:54
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Hey the Rock rocks. Everyone knows he's the new Arnie.
PlugMonkey
11/05/09 @ 10:56
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I thought The Rock was excellent in Be Cool. He really surprised me.
ZuluHero
11/05/09 @ 10:57
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oh i found this after my last post:

http://www.virginmedia.com/images/gears_...

He's even got the goatee and sideburns! :P

Seems i'm not the only one to think of Perlman :)
Edited 1 times, most recently on 11/05/09 @ 11:58
Eraysor
11/05/09 @ 10:59
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Just to let you know, Marcus Fenix is also Bender from Futurama.
Slabbathepave
11/05/09 @ 11:01
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Massive pile of rancid shit.

Both Gears games have an 18 certificate. I'll bet both of my sizable balls that the film ends up with a 12 certificate.

Anyone at all interested in this is a cunt, 13 years of age or both.
lambtron
11/05/09 @ 11:05
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"erm.. all american wrestlers are actors!
You don't actually think the crazy shit they do is real do you? "

Yes and no :). They are actors, patently. They do put on a choreographed, exaggerated show (it's not like you can repeatedly stamp on someone's throat and they'll be fine afterwards). On the other hand, people get seriously hurt doing it although it's not part of the script.
Gearskin
11/05/09 @ 11:08
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The Rock?... Problem with that is... he's TOO good for Marcus Fenix. The Rock has charisma. Fenix has no Charisma. They need someone who is way more deadpan.
asphaltcowboy
11/05/09 @ 11:21
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As much as I like the Rock, he's no Marcus Fenix. It's all about Dominic Purcell!
Wastelander
11/05/09 @ 11:22
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Jack Dee?
metallicorphan
11/05/09 @ 11:28
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thats Gears of War movie crossed off my list to see
muscleblade
11/05/09 @ 11:28
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@asphaltcowboy

With CGI muscles then? No thanks.
Xerx3s
11/05/09 @ 11:31
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The rock is fucking awesome! When he has good roles, he plays them very well, when he has bad roles, he plays them shite. But that's even better as I like B-films a lot more than all the big budget crap.
j,taurus
11/05/09 @ 11:32
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CAN U SMELL wat the rock shouldn't be doing
Xerx3s
11/05/09 @ 11:33
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"I thought the Doom film was pretty good!"

And dirt cheap as well
miiiguel
11/05/09 @ 11:35
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Eric Bana?

Shit I'll just fortget about it, something remotely resembling a proper movie is wishfull thinking, as it would fail miserably at the box office (thinks about Ang Lee's Hulk).
Olemak
11/05/09 @ 11:41
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Ang Lee's Hulk var horrible, no matter how you look at it.
Starkillah_79
11/05/09 @ 11:48
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I think the rock could be good as Dom but Marcus Fenix? NO WAY! Purcell would be a better choice for the role i guess...
Edited 1 times, most recently on 11/05/09 @ 12:49
JensonJet
11/05/09 @ 11:51
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'Geniune actor'? I guess my definition of a geniune actor is a little different than the screenwriter's.

While I understand Hollywood's fear of casting unknown actors because of a possible loss of ticket sales, I'm surprised The Rock is considered any kind of guarantee of extra sales. If you think of some of the best movies ever made, or some of your favourites, they often feature many unknown actors, or who are now big stars in their first roles. Beyond the script, the biggest influence in a movie being half decent is the director. This film, as with all movies needs an excellent director. One who can steer this in a better direction than we've seen from past game movies. It's hard to imagine, but there's no reason why Star Wars, The Godfather, Alien, whatever movie you consider excellent, could have been based on a game. Sadly with Hollywood cashing in, rather than attempting to treat a game movie with any respect or care, we've always ended up with generally bad, or average at best, action films.

Whether the director is a relatively unknown as was the case with Ridley Scott taking on Alien, or Spielburg doing Jaws, or is an already proven director, this will ultimately decide the final state of what appears on screen. A good director won't be afraid to find unknown actors, assuming whoever's producing this doesn't get in the way. While I admit I've never played or have any interest in the Gears games, I'm sick of seeing games turned into second rate movies. For the fans of this game I hope Gears of War is treated better than past attempts to cash in on your love for the game. If comic book character films can attract some decent talent and end up good, there's no excuse for game-based movies not reaching the same standards. It's time game based movies stopped being the lowest of the low, forget the past and become half decent films in their own right.

Let's just hope the screenwriter's better at writing than he is advising on actors, for a start. Every good movie starts with a good script!
Edited 1 times, most recently on 11/05/09 @ 12:56
miiiguel
11/05/09 @ 11:52
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@ Olemak: I did it with my eyes, and I liked it a lot. No..., really, I understand it was never meant to be everybody's cup of tea, you have to be looking/hoping for something more "humanized" when you dig a movie about a super hero which features *no vilain*, I thought it was a pretty bold move, and just loved the cinematography.
No patronizing here, I also liked Sam Raimi's Spidey's which is a total diferent aproach - so no trying to play the smart dude, I just thought it worked, it is a good movie. IMO.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 11/05/09 @ 12:52
Darren
11/05/09 @ 12:03
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The Rock was beyond awful in the equally bad Doom movie and was merely passable in the Scorpion King so it seems to be that the producers want him for his "star attraction" (ahem) rather than his acting *talents*. Hopefully the movie will be so action-packed like the games that no-one will notice the lack of decent acting. Still, he's a poor choice IMO since he looks absolutely NOTHING like Marcus Fenix as depicted in the games.

As others have said Purcell from Prison Break would be a far better choice. At least he CAN act and looks reasonably like Fenix. With Prison Break ending soon he'd definitely be free.
Korpers
11/05/09 @ 12:06
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Definately Dominic Purcell.

Familiar enough to catch on....

Not too famous to make you think of the actor playing Marcus, rather than Marcus himself.

And looks A LOT like him.
asphaltcowboy
11/05/09 @ 12:08
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/yay!
viper_h
11/05/09 @ 12:24
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lol at that pic of Dom Purcell. I didn't recognise him with hair.
Slabbathepave
11/05/09 @ 12:27
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Shame he is no longer with us

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/imag...

Born to play Marcus Fenix.
Vin
11/05/09 @ 13:18
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Chuck Wagner would suit the role down to a tee.
Sonic_D
11/05/09 @ 13:19
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"Shame he is no longer with us

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/imag...

Born to play Marcus Fenix. "


Oooh I say! LOCUSTS! Awful creatures. Bloody well slice them up wit' me chainsaw!

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