Dark Horse at the Movies - Mobile Edition

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Dark Horse at the Movies
By Avi Weinryb
July 20, 2007 - 17:00

With the current onslaught of comic book properties hitting the silver screen, it has never been a greater time to be a comic fan. Rather than celebrating a beloved obsession in the dark recesses of a local comic shop, one now has the option to revel in the glory of a cheering multiplex audience as heroes pummel baddies on the big screen. The current state of affairs presents a unique battlefield in which Marvel pumps out a steady flow of films under their banner, some critically acclaimed ( Spider-Man 2) and some… not so good ( Fantastic Four). Independent books have been getting a fair shake, as proven by American Splendor and Ghost World, while DC Comics cautiously re-enters the movie game after the travesty that was Batman and Robin. For the last fourteen years, the world's third biggest English language comic publisher, Dark Horse Comics, has been steadily putting out financially successful films that have retained cult followings.

A Dark Horse rises

Mike Richardson founded Dark Horse twenty years ago. Beyond serving as a publisher, Richardson approached comics with a love for film. He started Dark Horse Entertainment in 1992. His first project was an adaptation of the Dr. Giggles comic. It was a campy, gory tale about a bloodthirsty man out for revenge. True success was found in DHE's next venture – The Mask.

Poster art for 'The Mask'

A Jim Carrey vehicle co-starring a young Cameron Diaz, The Mask was based on the comic book property of the same name. The character was created by Richardson and he co-produced the film. Released in the summer of 1994, The Mask blew audiences away with its daring computer animation and zany cartoon-like action sequences. It raked in an impressive box-office take, multiplying the original budget cost many times over. Dark Horse Entertainment was now in a strong position to continue building on its initial success.

The next film to tear out of the Dark Horse stable was the smash success Timecop. It was adapted from a comic co-created by Richardson, who also served as executive-producer. Another producer on the film was Sam Raimi, a man who is not a stranger to comic book film adaptations. The star of Timecop, Jean Claude Van Damme, is currently wreaking havoc on direct-to-video releases, but his performance in the 1994 film was surprisingly strong and he complimented the film well. He portrayed Max Walker, a police officer tasked with the duty of enforcing laws related to time travel. The action film spawned a short-lived television show as well as a video sequel titled Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision. The original film remains Van Damme's most financially successful project with an international gross of well over 100,000,000.

Poster art for 'Timecop'

You can lead a horse to water…

After two strong outings at the box-office, Dark Horse hit a pothole when the 1996 film Barb Wire was released. Based on the cyber-punk comic by Chris Warner, this Richardson produced film was a critical and commercial failure. Promoted with the tagline "Don't call me babe!", the film provided an opportunity for Pamela Anderson to display her ability to cross over from television into film. It did not work out as planned and beyond the occasional cameo, Anderson remains a regular fixture on television.

After the two successes of The Mask and Timecop, Dark Horse Entertainment was stricken with the flop of Barb Wire and the underperformance of their next film, Virus. Based on the Chuck Pfarrer comic of the same name, Virus starred Jamie Lee Curtis and Daniel Baldwin. Pfarrer adapted his own book for the screen. Mike Richardson serves as executive producer.

The film centers on an alien life form that is capable of inhabiting electronic devices. Donald Sutherland plays a doomed ship captain tasked with the unenviable duty of contending with the alien’s vicious aftermath. His ship soon falls prey to the threat and Jamie Lee Curtis is joined by William Baldwin in battling the alien menace.

The film did not perform as hoped and its worldwide gross did not come near matching the budget. Dark Horse Entertainment was riding through a rough patch… and then Kinka Usher stepped in to direct a film adaptation of Mystery Men.

Poster art for 'Mystery Men'

What is Mystery Men you ask? It is a riotous comic series from the zany mind of Bob Burden. The material was top notch and the cast, including Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria, solid. So what happened? Well the film was directed by Kinka Usher. Kinka who? You may not have heard him because this was the first and last film he ever directed. Known for his masterful, award winning commercials, Usher and screenwriter Neil Cuthbert delivered a film that audiences did not connect with. Mystery Men remains a cult favourite, but the Richardson produced film did not take off. Things took a turn for the better when a little hell spawn showed up.

Hellboy comes to the party

Mike Mignola’s Hellboy series is one of the strongest properties in the Dark Horse publishing arsenal. A seemingly limitless reservoir of exciting concepts and rich stories, Hellboy has been begging for a film adaptation for a long time. When Guillermo Del Toro ( Blade II) stepped up to the plate, fans breathed a sigh of relief. Del Toro had established himself as a visionary director and a genuine fan of the source material. The 2004 film was released to sizable acclaim and fans of the books ate it up. In Hellboy, Ron Perlman plays the title character; a demon raised by man and trained to fight occult evil. Selma Blair and John Hurt co-starred. The film was a certifiable hit at the box-office and a sequel, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is currently in production. It is set for a summer 2008 release.

Poster art for 'Hellboy'

A direct to video release, Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms is already on shelves and the trailer for its sequel is already up at www.gotohellboy.com. The cast from the live action films lend their voices to the animated movies.

Another otherworldly contribution to cinema from Dark Horse Comics was the 2004 film Alien Vs. Predator. At first glance, one is inclined to believe that the film is drawing from the Alien and Predator films rather than any other source material. In truth, the near limitless permutations of the Alien Vs. Predator comic books at Dark Horse have led to a unique franchise in its own right. The film adaptation was executive produced by publisher Mike Richardson and it brought in over 171 million dollars in worldwide box-office. Since it cost about 60 million to make, it was considered a smash success. Critics felt otherwise, but this is not stopping Twentieth Century Fox from shooting a sequel, tentatively titled Aliens Vs. Predator (AVP2). Richardson is not directly involved. The film is scheduled for a December 2007 release. Diehard fans continue to hold out for a film based on the ‘Aliens Vs. Predator Vs. The Terminator’ books.

Son of a b****!

It was in February 2005. Mike Richardson’s The Mask property was supposed to be revitalized on film by the comedy skills of Jamie Kennedy, under the watchful eye of Toronto born director Larry Guterman ( Cats and Dogs). Son of the Mask was supposed to be a solid sequel at best and a cash grab at worst. It was neither. The film flopped and it flopped hard. Critics and audiences rejected it and its 84 million dollar budget saw a return of 57.5 million worldwide (a paltry 17 million in North America). Let’s not discuss this further – it’s too painful.

A Deal to Kill For

Frank Miller's 'Sin City'

No guide to Dark Horse Comics movies would be complete without mentioning Sin City. But be advised: Sin City is not a Dark Horse movie. The popular Frank Miller series is published by Dark Horse, but being the creator-friendly publisher that they are, ol’ DH allowed Miller to retain the rights to his series. This also applies to the film adaptation of Miller’s 300, another box-office bonanza. When the 2005 Sin City film took in critical acclaim and a humongous profit (thanks in part to a cheap production based on digital backgrounds), Dark Horse only benefited through book sales. You won’t see any mention of the film on the Dark Horse Entertainment website. A Sin City sequel is expected for 2008. Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez will reprise their roles as co-directors.

A Look Ahead

The future is looking bright for Dark Horse Entertainment. A slew of projects are in the works and new deals and partnerships are being forged all the time. DHE recently cut a deal with Hyde Park Entertainment which will bring graphic novel The Blackburne Covenant to the screen.

Other upcoming projects include a documentary about comedian Don Rickles and the film My Name is Bruce starring fan favourite, Bruce Campbell. There is a lot of chatter on internet message boards regarding the Campbell movie. If it lives up to the hype, it could be a modest hit.

The thriller Splinter, directed by Michael D. Olmos is awaiting exhibition. It is about a gang member with memory loss in search of his brother’s killer.

Another film centered around a protagonist feeling remorse over a brother’s death, Driftwood takes place at an attitude-adjustment camp and features a mystery that needs solving. It is directed by Tim Sullivan.

Recently released directly to video, Monarch of the Moon is a spoof of serial films from the 1940s and ‘50s. When purchased, it includes the film Destination Mars.

Fans of the IDW horror comic 30 Days of Night are excitedly awaiting the film adaptation. It is currently filming in New Zealand under the careful eye of DHE. It is directed by David Slade.

Dark Horse projects in the pre-production phase include R.I.P.D., to be directed by David Dobkin ( The Wedding Crashers). It is based on the Dark Horse series written by Peter Lenkov.

The film adaptation of graphic novel Damn Nation is currently being penned by Andrew Cosby, the original author.

Rex Mundi cover art

Still a long way off from production, the screen adaptation of comic series Rex Mundi is getting a lot of attention, thanks in part to the fact that Johnny Depp is scheduled to star in the film. Dark Horse Entertainment is working with Depp’s production company and a bunch of other producers to bring it to the screen.

This horse has legs

Mike Richardson’s Dark Horse Comics continues to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers, bringing creative stories and ideas to new audiences through the production arm provided by Dark Horse Entertainment. The body of film under the DHE banner is plentiful, and among some of the box-office misses, there are a bunch of strong hits. With a near-endless supply of material, and the desire to produce original projects, Dark Horse will continue to fuel the world of comics even as it illuminates movie screens.

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Avi Weinryb is an editor and feature writer at The Comic Book Bin