Fincher Takes On Graphic Novel Adaptation-- Could This Be a Trend?

By Katey Rich

I've barely finished my breakfast, and David Fincher already has me thinking.

I've spent a lot of time marveling at the huge number of graphic novel adaptations planned at Warner Bros., and at most studios really, with even some of the darkest and strangest graphic novels preparing to come to life (including one written by Guy Ritchie about a Scottish caretaker who is not Groundskeeper Willie). It's fairly clear that we're living in the era of the comic book, in which drawn heroes with or without capes dominate the box office and the cultural imagination. With 30 Days of Night still tearing up screens, Wanted getting a boatload of Internet buzz, and The Dark Knight ratcheting up its viral marketing campaign, we're bound to be seeing more and more from this genre.

When Variety announced this morning that David Fincher would be taking on a graphic novel adaptation--The Killer by Matz-- I was intrigued mostly because it was the first time I had heard of a major, established director (and an arthouse-skewing director at that) moving into the graphic novel realm. When I found this list on Wikipedia, though, I realized I was dead wrong. Who knew that Sam Mendes' Road to Perdition was based on a graphic novel? How about David Cronenberg's A History of Violence? And, OK, I have no good excuse for forgetting about Ang Lee doing Hulk, or Christopher Nolan making Batman Begins, or hell, Tim Burton making Batman to begin with (though, to be fair, taking on the Caped Crusader was the first big-budget project for the latter two directors).

David Fincher, on the other hand... that's an interesting match. There's no question he already appeals the sweet spot of graphic novel fandom, intelligent young men with a taste for violence paired with a little bit of thought. The Killer seems right up Fincher's alley, a French story about a ruthless hitman on the run whose cold-hearted crimes start catching up with him. We all know Fincher can do killers (Se7en, Zodiac) and psychology (Fight Club), so maybe the only question is whether this graphic novel was written with Fincher in mind.

It'll be interesting to see how Fincher's gritty, urban visuals translate to the stylized world of graphic novels, though given the subject matter I imagine it'll be a nice transition. Though Zack Snyder and Frank Miller may be dominating the big-budget adaptation news these days, seeing Fincher give it a shot makes me think we might be seeing some other major directors try their hands at the genre. What if the Coen Brothers did a Batman? Ron Howard already adapted The Da Vinci Code, so why not try something intentionally cartoony? (zing!) Who knows how long before graphic novel adaptations expand beyond their target audience of young men, but with intelligent directors tackling intelligent material, we're already taking the right steps.