Ever since Drive rolled into theaters last year, Nicolas Winding Refn has been sticking his fingers into a lot of pies. First out of the oven will be Only God Forgives. It hits sometime later this year and I’m sure you know all about it already. If not, catch up dammit! Following that should be his erotic thriller, I Walk With The Dead, which should re-team him with Carey Mulligan. Barring any changes, it should film sometime in the latter half of this year or early next.
What will come after those? Hard to say. One thing is for certain though: it will be something a little more mainstream, at least in concept. Refn (and current muse, Ryan Gosling) have been attached to a new version of Logan’s Run for awhile now. The script still needed some work last time he spoke of it, so that it’s probably still a few years off. Driven, the sequel novel to his 2011 masterpiece, hit shelves earlier this year and has already been scooped up for a film adaptation. Given comments made by himself and Gosling back in the fall, I wouldn’t be too surprised if both are interested in exploring the further adventures of Driver at some point.
He’s also producing a Maniac Cop rebootquel that could potentially be a directing gig. That one is a little closer to production and should conceivably go before cameras sometime within the next year. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m still pulling for Gosling as the new Matt Cordell. Beyond that, Refn is currently in talks to do an adaptation of the 2000AD comic series Button Man for Dreamworks. The project has been in the works since 2009 and had Leonardo DiCaprio interested in starring at one point. The tale revolves around a contract killer involved in some underground deathsport that attempts to leave the game. Bad idea. Violence ensues. It certainly sounds up Refn’s alley, though no time table has been given on the project at this time.
So that’s four different projects to choose from for a post-IWWTD outing. Enough? Of course not. Gaumont is teaming up with Martha De Laurentiis to bring Barbarella to television and guess who’s going to be directing the pilot and executive producing the show? Yep, Refn. This is the second pairing between Laurentiis and Gaumont, who are doing the upcoming Hannibal series* together. It will also mark the third teaming of Refn and Gaumont, who is producing his next two films.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to reinvent ‘Barbarella’ with my friends at Gaumont and Martha De Laurentiis,” said Refn. “And I look forward to bringing this unique character to life for a new generation of fans as I believe she is one of the ultimate counter-cultural characters.”
Given that he’s already talking it up, I’m guessing he’ll be shooting that pilot sooner than later. I’d look for it to get rolling sometime next year in-between film projects and hit your idiot box in time for the Fall 2013 season. Personally, I’m glad he’s keeping busy and would love to see him continue to release a new project each year.
So what say our readers about Refn’s upcoming slate of projects? Chime in on the forums and in the comments section below!
* – Starring Refn regular Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter! Let’s just hope the show around him is worth a damn.