Looks like ol’ Marky Mark Wahlberg may just be the new Six Million Dollar Man, and no, this has nothing to do with failed salary negotiations for the next Transformers movie. According to a rumour over on Tracking Board, Wahlberg is the latest frontrunner for Universal’s feature film reboot of the classic 1970’s series of the same name.
The original – which the older local folk will remember better as Die Man Van Staal – saw Lee Majors as astronaut Steve Austin (of the non-Stone Cold variety) whose legs, left arm and eye is rebuilt using advanced bionic implants after he is critically injured in an accident. This process of course cost – yep, you guessed it! – $6 million (1970’s weren’t big on imaginative code names apparently). Using his newly enhanced speed, strength and sight, Austin would become an agent working for fictional government agency OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence).
A modern reboot has been kicking around Hollywood for years now already in various forms (one of which was a comedy take directed by Todd “The Hangover” Phillips and starring Jim Carrey) but has been stuck in a developmental tail spin for more than a decade due to rights disputes. Universal owned the rights to the TV series, but Miramax/Harvey Weinstein owned the rights to “Cyborg”, the Martin Caidin novel on which the TV series was based.
Eventually in 2011, the rights dispute was seemingly settled with Universal then putting together an adaptation to be directed by Bryan Singer and in which Leonardo diCaprio would star. But, once again, plans fell flat. According to this latest bit of unverified intel though, Peter Berg – who just recently directed Wahlberg in Lone Survivor – is now attached to produce and direct as well.
With Transformers: Age of Extinction cleaning up big time at the global box office currently – though not doing so well with the critics – Wahlberg is a hot property in the action hero mold. Throw in the fact that the pairing of him and Berg worked very well on Lone Survivor, and this could be a pretty cool development. This is more than likely not a role that will be dramatically taxing – unless Paramount plan to go the Robocop reboot route and start digging into what happens to a man that becomes a machine – but should be a straight sci-fi skop, skiet en donner which Wahlberg can do in his gentle-voiced sleep. Also, the dude already looks like he has some bionic muscles.
All I’m asking is that they keep the iconic bionic power sound effects and theme song, and of course, DAT FLYING KICK!, and this could actually work. If it ever happens, that is.
Last Updated: July 8, 2014
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 8, 2014 at 09:36
Why would they ruin a perfectly good robot like him to graft on all those organic bits? Not to mention all the time spent on teaching it not to look constipated.
Devon Stanton
July 8, 2014 at 10:11
Surely with inflation, and the current economy he should be in the billions? That’s if they’re looking to modernise the movie.
Admiral Chief Fairburne
July 8, 2014 at 10:46
6 billiondollahman sounds good
Admiral Chief Fairburne
July 8, 2014 at 10:46
Man van staal vir die WEN!