Movie Blog: Q&A With 'Homefront' Author Chuck Logan
Chuck Logan still hadn't seen the movie based on his novel when undergoing the media tour for Homefront a few weeks back.
And, while many writers find themselves dreading what Hollywood will do to their babies, Logan could barely contain his excitement about the prospect of seeing his work up on the silver screen.
Logan, a Midwest native who now lives in Stillwater, is best known for his series of novels centered around Phil Broker, a former police officer who resides in Minnesota. In the novel Homefront, a taciturn Broker has retired to a cabin up north, where he encounters guff from the locals.
In the movie, he's a DEA agent of action in the backwoods who ... well, looks like Crank (Jason Statham plays the role).
So, yes, quite a few things have been modified in the movie version. But that's probably to have been expected, given none other than pugilistic Sly Stallone was the one who crafted the screenplay, no doubt unto his own image.
I had the opportunity to share a few words with Logan during his publicity tour, and he discussed the reasons he's not upset about the liberties being taken with his work.
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What's it like having one of your books adapted by Sylvester Stallone, of all people?
It's really exciting. It would be exciting normally, but my writing career was sort of in a real slump, and this came out of nowhere. Essentially, because of the movie, Harper-Collins is reissuing the book. I'm working on a new book in the series, and I have some plans to do yet another book using the daughter in this story as a main character. So this is all new stuff that wasn't there a year ago. Plus, I'm bringing out an e-book at the same time -- Fallen Angel. So, I'm really excited. Naturally.
Conversely, what is it like working with a director known for adapting books by James Patterson, Philip K. Dick, John Grisham?
The encouraging is -- if you look at the poster, Statham's holding the daughter. If you look at other Statham movie posters, he's pointing guns at you. So I hope that's a clue in terms of what the tone of the movie is going to be. Plus it has a really interesting mix of cast, that's going to draw in separate audiences, not just fans of your normal Jason Statham kick and punch fests. So I'm excited about that.
How do you feel about Jason Statham playing Phil?
You mean how did my shaggy Northwoods cop turn into a bald-headed Brit? And go to Louisiana? I've told people before, your book gets beamed into a parallel universe, and not everything makes it over there. And one of the main characters and a lot of names have changed, and the location changed. But that's Hollywood.
Would you also say that you envisioned James Franco in his role at all?
That was a total surprise. I think that's one of the big draws -- the chemistry between Franco and Statham. Statham's in a different kind of role, and Franco in that role ... I keep hearing vibrations that Kate Bosworth is really turning in a heck of a performance in this movie. I haven't seen it, I've just seen the trailer. I'm waiting for the premiere.
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Homefront opens wide on Wednesday.
