Greg Rucka‘s Whiteout is already being turned into a feature film, starring Kate Beckinsale and Gabriel Macht. At Comic-Con he gave an update on his other graphic novels that may see the big screen soon.
When asked to discuss the chances of seeing either Whiteout: Melt (sequel to the basis for the forthcoming film) or his popular British spy series Queen & Country, Rucka responded with hopeful enthusiasm.
“I would like it!” he said. “My understanding is those rights were purchased and are being sat on at the moment. There have been several drafts of the Q&C screenplay, and hopefully they’ll find one they like soon.”
While the Queen & Country comics continue in the adaptation process, it’s conceivable that Melt, the second volume in Rucka’s Whiteout graphic novel series, might also be made into a movie sequel if the Warner Bros. film is a success. If Rucka’s own reaction to the unfinished film is any indication, Whiteout might be the rare comic book movie that not only satisfies, but exceeds the expectations of its fans.
“They’ve taken the best, I think, of what Steve Lieber and I created, and they got rid of all of the stuff that wasn’t the best,” Rucka said with a laugh. “There are things that Steve and I would have loved to do on the comic book page that just never would have worked on the page. I remember being up in Montreal [on set] and seeing a particular scene in the dailies, and having this reaction that that was a scene that Steve and I would have loved to have done, but couldn’t be done in a comic. And without having spoken to anyone about it — without having articulated it to Joel [Silver], or to Dominic [Sena], or to David Gambino, or any of those people — they had instinctively put that moment in, and done in it a way that made me jealous. I wish I could have [written] it myself.”
Whiteout follows U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, stationed in the desolate cold of Antartica, as she investigates a mysterious murder. The film is currently set for release by Warner Bros. in 2008 and is directed by Dominic Sena (Gone in 60 Seconds).
