January 29: Thomas Jane talks THE MIST alterations
Its a given that when any literary property is adapted for the big screen, omissions and additions will be made, and Frank Darabonts THE MIST will be no exception, as leading man Thomas Jane tells Fango. The PUNISHER star (pictured) checked in with us while up north (i.e. Toronto) on reshoots for his latest, John Maddens KILLSHOT. Our chat is geared more toward his work on David Arquettes April release THE TRIPPER (check it out in Fango #262, on sale in March), but THE MIST is a hard topic to ignore.
Its the best horror script Ive ever read, Jane says. Busy with his current work, he tells us he missed the most recent MIST developmentwe give him the scoop that Andre Braugher and Laurie Holden have been cast as his co-starsbut back to those changes. If youve read the novella, you understand the potential of the film, and Darabont has surpassed that, he continues. The script is missing the last 10 pages because he wont divulge them to anybodyhes changing the ending. Why a veil of secrecy when anyone and their grandmother can venture down to the local bookstore, find the original King short and read how it ends? Well, without going into details, if youre familiar with THE MISTs conclusion, the script we have ends with thatbut Darabont has added an extra five minutes, Jane reveals.
Definitive ending or no, Jane is jazzed about Darabonts approach to the material. Were treating it as if it really happened. If you talk about something like 9/11 or a suicide bombingthe reality of that and how people reactthats terrifying, and thats how were gonna do this. Not as a monster movie, but as a story where this is actually happening to real people and [exploring] how they deal with it. Some people go into denial. Thats whats exciting. Im the most excited Ive been about a film in a long time.
Ryan Rotten