GOYER, MOTTER, & PLATINUM'S UNIQUE

[MattBrady]

by Ryan McLelland

The announcement of Blade: Trinity director David Goyer’s next film, Unique might have had comic fans searching for information on the upcoming feature film and the comic book of the same name it’s based on. Goyer is just the latest player attached to the Touchstone Studios film that includes Harry Potter producer David Heyman, Platinum Studios associate producer Aaron Severson, and Platinum Studios President / executive producer Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.

For those wondering what the storyline of Unique is about, the story centers on a man named Jon Geoffries who discovers the Earth has a twin, a parallel world in another dimension. These twin Earths are closely linked together, explaining such phenomena as deja vu and love at first sight, with people having counterparts on both Earths. However, a few are born "unique," with no doppelgangers on the other Earth, and having the ability to travel between both worlds. Jon Geoffries is one such person and soon finds himself a target of enemies who want to exploit his connection.

The characters and storylines of Unique are a part of Platinum Studios new comic book universe: the ‘Macroverse.’ “The Platinum Macroverse is all of the literally thousands of characters and storylines that we've developed over the past several years,” said Rosenberg. “The core mythology of Unique - the parallel worlds and the idea of the 'Uniques' who can move between them - is at the heart of the Macroverse. The way we've designed it is so that even though the stories in many of our comics take place in the same overall universe, they're only tied together as much as we want them to be. Unique takes place in the same reality as Cowboys and Aliens - also a feature film being produced by Sony Pictures for a Summer 2006 release, but in a different era and different dimension.”

Having the powerhouse duo of Goyer and Heyman on the project certainly helps strengthen an already meaty project. “What’s more important is the powerhouse commitment to actively develop together as a team, which we have,” Rosenberg said. “Everyone involved is thoroughly into the project, which I’d love to see as a trilogy. In terms of expectations, when you have the best folks around on a project and Disney’s very smart President of Production, Nina Jacobson and executive Louanne Brickhouse both on the project, the expectations are most certainly high, but very attainable.”

Those not wanting to wait until the film’s release date in 2007 to find out what Unique is all about need not worry. Early 2005 will see the Unique graphic novel released by the team of Dean Motter and Stefano Cardoselli. Italian artist Cardoselli is renowned for his many works in the pages of Heavy Metal magazine, while Motter is certainly no stranger to comics, best known for his critically acclaimed series like Mister X, Terminal City, and Electropolis.

“The alternate Earth dimension, nicknamed ‘Penumbra', is a mirror of our own,” said Motter on Unique’s plot. “Except that through some combination of celestial mechanics and prehistoric anthropology, human society is strictly nocturnal. And our worlds are phase in such a way that when it is day in one it is night in the other.”

“With rare exceptions each individual has a counterpart in the other dimension and each major event has a similar reciprocal event. There are unscrupulous types that seek to affect events in one dimension by manipulating those in the other. They do this by means of the people who have no dopplegangers and are able to move from world to world. These people are referred to as 'Uniques'.”

Motter continued, “Jon Geoffries is one such Unique who is just discovering this. He is also one of the more powerful Uniques, able to control his transition more than others. Thus he is of great interest to those who would exploit him as well as the authoritarian Penumbran regime that forbids the interaction of the two worlds' cultures and goes to all lengths to prevent it. So he is a man on the run, caught up in a pan-dimensional conspiracy that actually threatens both worlds.”

The trade paperback will be a fully self-contained story, something Rosenberg thinks is very important. “We're very concerned about keeping the stories self-contained. Our focus is on graphic novels where each story has a beginning, middle, and an end, even though there may be sequels, prequels, or continuations. Platinum Studios are big believers in not soliciting our books until they're ready to go - which we think readers will appreciate - and with some of our comics we may time the release based on when the movie comes out.”

Motter is excited for both comic and film to be released, “Especially since it was signed on the basis of my story and no art has been seen. As for the talent attached, I am thrilled. I think Goyer's Blade movies shows he loves and respects comics and has the obvious ability to visualize alternate worlds and their cultures.”

Touchstone Pictures and Disney are planning to have Unique move forward as quickly as possible. Sources from the studio say they plan to have the heavy special effects laden project in pre-production by early 2005 for a summer 2007 release.

[Patrick_Wedge]

Sounds like a really neat concept. Motter was terrific in Terminal City (with Michael Lark's great artwork to boot). A touch more sci-fi elements in the comic industry is a good thing. The European market has certainly capitalized on this approach.

Also, I am glad to see some publisher taking the OGN approach to a book. I think that this medium needs to see more of this approach (at least here in the states).

Patrick

[Von Raven]

Interesting; I guess the creators are big fan's of Stephen King/Peter Straub's THE TALISMAN...which was a novel in the early 80's, about parallel worlds, where most people have a "TWINNER" (a version of themselves in that respective world), save for a special few who are "unique" and possess the ability to move through the different worlds...each with different eras...the alternate world in the TALISMAN was a fedual setting.

The hero of the TALISMAN is one such unique person and discovers a twin earth (or earths) and his ability to move through these alternate worlds...but the villianous forces are out to get him because of his special qualities (son of the Queen of the next world over, ability to retrieve the TALISMAN-which is an artifact of incredible power, etc.)

Sound familiar?


“With rare exceptions each individual has a counterpart in the other dimension and each major event has a similar reciprocal event. There are unscrupulous types that seek to affect events in one dimension by manipulating those in the other. They do this by means of the people who have no dopplegangers and are able to move from world to world. These people are referred to as 'Uniques'.”


Yep, that's exactly the situation in King and Straub's novel, THE TALISMAN.

[stlfan79]

Motter rules hopefully I remember this article since it won't be out in gn form until 2005.

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by Von Raven
Interesting; I guess the creators are big fan's of Stephen King/Peter Straub's THE TALISMAN...which was a novel in the early 80's, about parallel worlds, where most people have a "TWINNER" (a version of themselves in that respective world), save for a special few who are "unique" and possess the ability to move through the different worlds...each with different eras...the alternate world in the TALISMAN was a fedual setting.

I was thinking the exact same thing when I read this article. I'm sure the execution of the material will be different, but it does sound very similar. Sounds like it will still be a high quality read though.

Kent

[AnimalMan#1-26]

Authoritarian regime.
Conspiracy.
Nocturnal world.

Reminds me of the film "Dark City."

Anyone seen that film?

Interesting film with a kind of weak ending. Sort of like a film noir dark fantasy version of "Groundhog Day," as strange as that sounds.

And the villians looked oddly like the bad guy from "Who Framed Roger Rabbiy?"

[Von Raven]

Originally posted by kingofcities
I was thinking the exact same thing when I read this article. I'm sure the execution of the material will be different, but it does sound very similar. Sounds like it will still be a high quality read though.

Kent

Yeah, the only significant difference I can see, based on the article's description, is that it's a nocturnal world.

Which reminds of the old trick to get around copyrighted lyrics was to make small changes here and there...

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by AnimalMan#1-26

Reminds me of the film "Dark City."

Anyone seen that film?

Love this movie! Ironically, David Goyer wrote the screenplay for that film.

[Von Raven]

Originally posted by kingofcities
Love this movie! Ironically, David Goyer wrote the screenplay for that film.

There you go; it's DARK CITY meets THE TALISMAN.

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by Von Raven
There you go; it's DARK CITY meets THE TALISMAN.

Are you trying to start trouble here?!?

[Von Raven]

Originally posted by kingofcities
Love this movie! Ironically, David Goyer wrote the screenplay for that film.

There you go; it's DARK CITY meets THE TALISMAN.

[Strike]

Originally posted by Von Raven
There you go; it's DARK CITY meets THE TALISMAN.

Which is exactly the key to making new stories these days.
Truly original stories are virtually impossible now. The only way is to take an idea (which has almost certainly been done before, no matter how original you may think it may be), combine it with another, and add your own semi-unique interpretation.

Truly original stories are virtually impossible - so stop nitpicking.

[diegonew]

"For those wondering what the storyline of Unique is about, the story centers on a man named Jon Geoffries"

Did any of you realize that if you reverse the character's name and change the plurality you get:

Geoff Johns !

Is this Goyers little homage to his comic writing friend?

[AnimalMan#1-26]

Originally posted by kingofcities
Love this movie! Ironically, David Goyer wrote the screenplay for that film.

Wow!

I had no idea!

I discovered that movie by accident-- flipping through channels during (appropriately) a night shift at at my job.

The build-up intrigue and suspense were amazing, but the payoff was a real let down. Evil alien creatures and (to use Sammy Pare's from Uncanny X-Men's phrase) "brain powers"-- yawn.

Kinda like John Carpenter's They Live-- a film that starts with an amazing premise, promising to deliver a layed, allegorical film, and then halfway through turns into complete and utter shlock, as if someone fired the creative team of the first half and replaced them all with hacks.

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by AnimalMan#1-26
Wow!

I had no idea!

I discovered that movie by accident-- flipping through channels during (appropriately) a night shift at at my job.

The build-up intrigue and suspense were amazing, but the payoff was a real let down. Evil alien creatures and (to use Sammy Pare's from Uncanny X-Men's phrase) "brain powers"-- yawn.

Kinda like John Carpenter's They Live-- a film that starts with an amazing premise, promising to deliver a layed, allegorical film, and then halfway through turns into complete and utter shlock, as if someone fired the creative team of the first half and replaced them all with hacks.

I thought the antagonists were more interesting when they were looking like albinos rather than the jellyfish things. That being said, I actually liked this movie quite a bit. Have it at home on DVD actually. I liked the direction by Alex Proyas too.

[Von Raven]

Originally posted by Strike
Which is exactly the key to making new stories these days.
Truly original stories are virtually impossible now..

I think that statement is more trite than true.

And what I'm talking about, based on the description above, is that the concept is virtually IDENTICAL to the King/Straub book, with the exception of the nocturnal aspect. Not similar, not derivative, but IDENTICAL.

[Cartoon Jay]

This sounds FANTASTIC. Dean Motter a brilliant creator, and I've always thought Mister X would make a fine film. The concept sound like the studio is looking to position it like another Matrix...which ripped off both Dark City and Blade...(hell, Dark City ripped off the role playing game Cult...and Blade ripped off the White Wolf RPG Universe ...who knows where it stops?)

Is Goyer attached as a screen writer or director or both...that was a little unclear. His screenplays for Blade 1&2 were, well, bad and only salvaged by teh excellent direction of Stephen Norrington and Guiermo DelTorro. I guess we'll have to wait and see how Blade:Trinity is...

[swampy]

Wasn't Mister X supposed to be reprinted last year? What publisher announced it and is it still going forward?

[RyanMcLelland]

I asked Dean during the course of the interview about new Mister X...here's what he said about what he had upcoming literary-wise:

"I am at work on a novel. There is also a second book in the works for Platinum called Warhead & Peacenik. I am hoping to have a collection of Electropolis in the works soon. And I can announce that ibooks will be publishing a 3-book Mister X archive that I am overseeing. We are in discussion on a new Mister X book as well."

So, fingers crossed, that all happens soon.

Ryan Mc

[mrhelm]

Reminds me of Access from the DC/Marvel crossover as well.

And since someone mentioned Dark City, has Proyas done anything since it and The Crow?

[swampy]

Excellent. I like what iBooks has been doing.

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by mrhelm
Reminds me of Access from the DC/Marvel crossover as well.

And since someone mentioned Dark City, has Proyas done anything since it and The Crow?

He had a mini series that was on the Sci-Fi channel a few months ago. Can't remember the name. Other than that I'm not too sure.

[Patrick_Wedge]

Originally posted by kingofcities
He had a mini series that was on the Sci-Fi channel a few months ago. Can't remember the name. Other than that I'm not too sure.

Riverworld was the mini on Sci-fi that Proyas was just the producer for. Didn't get involved with the scripting or the direction.

Currently he is working on post production work on I, Robot. He directed the movie (starring Will Smith). And I believe that comic artist Steve Skroce (of Matrix fame) was going to be involved in I, Robot but I am not sure if that happened.

Patrick

[Noam Choseed]

Dark City is one of my all time favorite movies I know it's hokey in places, but Keifer as the evil scientist who is really a one man revolution is a wonder to behold and Jennifer Connoly sets the screen on fire in her musical numbers( I don't know if she's really singing or not). A wonderful film.

[Tue Sorensen]

Originally posted by Patrick_Wedge
Riverworld was the mini on Sci-fi that Proyas was just the producer for. Didn't get involved with the scripting or the direction.

MY GOD, I didn't know there was a Riverworld TV series!! Thanks for this info!!

Oh, and I love Dark City, too. It's part of the Great Reality Altering Trilogy comprised by Pleasantville, Dark City and The Matrix. :-)