Bryan Cranston and the cast of Drive were recently promoting the film’s upcoming release at the Toronto International Film Festival. While there he gave un update on Len Wiseman‘s remake of Total Recall, and offered his feelings about the final season of his hit AMC TV series Breaking Bad.
The original Total Recall was an ultra violent futuristic thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Paul Verhoeven. It featured cutting edge visuals that were at the forefront of the CGI revolution. Fans of the original are somewhat sceptical of this new version which does not incorporate the Mars storyline and is said to be a more faithful upadating of the Philip K. Dick story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”.
Here is a semi-official plot synopsis:
The film’s new story involves the nation states of Euromerica and New Shanghai, with Douglas Quaid (Farrell) a factory worker in the latter who begins to believe he is a spy, although he doesn’t know for which side. Vilos Cohaagen (Cranston) is the leader of Euromerica who, under the cover of protecting his people, is secretly readying an invasion of New Shanghai.
Colin Farrell takes over Schwarzenegger’s dual role of Doug Quaid/Hauser, and it will be interesting to see how audiences respond to the remake with Farrell in the lead, while highly regarded he’s not the action star – his most recent remake Fright Night flopped at the box office. At Comic Con in August, director Len Wiseman said there will still be some similarities to the original; fans can expect some cool one liners, the show stopping three breasted woman – and plenty of intense action scenes which involve the use of practical effects.
Check out some recent set snaps here:
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Cranston is taking over the role of Cohagen played in the original by Ronnie Cox, and while he’ll no doubt have a fresh spin on the part – the actor was asked what his take on the character was:
Dealing with an older man / younger man relationship… I did not want to be at the desk pounding, “Kill him!!! Grrrrr!” Why? My backstory to him and what I pitched to Len Wiseman was he’s like a son to me. I love this kid and he was my most trusted soldier. Together we were going to do great things, great, important, legacy building things. He is just rebelling so I have to give him tough love, like I would my son who is acting out.
In the story the memory of Quaid is implanted – Cranston explained how their relationship shifts when Hauser gets ‘total recall’:
It’s kind of that way. When I give him his memory back, we will once again embrace and all will be well. Until then, I have to just contain him, just put him in his place and contain him and protect him at all costs and don’t kill him. I do not want him dead. That’s the twist that I took to it and I think again, it gives a sense of humanizing to it that you can at least understand as opposed to root for.
As for the meth cooking drama Breaking Bad, news broke back in August that the show might not be sticking around at AMC with talk that season 5 might be cut in half or would switch networks altogether. Now with a fifth and final season locked in, the final events will unfold over 16 episodes next year.
Breaking Bad set a new standard for television drama, doing what so many fail to preserve – a concept that stays true to the original premise and maintains continuity between seasons. The question was asked how he feels about AMC’s decision to make season five it’s last:
Well, it’s kind of like we just dropped my daughter off at college and even though 18 years ago I knew this day would come, intellectually, emotionally I wasn’t ready for it. So you can prepare all you want and I think it’s the same thing. I love the show. I love the character. The greatest role of my life and to be told we’re only doing 16 more, I felt a loss. I felt like I was just dumped.
While it’s good to know the show will have a proper finale and extended final season – a complex premise such as Breaking Bad could easily continue:
It was in conjunction with Vince Gilligan who said he just couldn’t see extending beyond that so he’s in agreement with that number. He’s the guy, so.
Does Cranston see himself having any influence in the story’s end:
It’s a little different in television. I’ve been his partner as we go along the way over now like 50 hours of storytelling. But because this journey is so unusual, I have not wanted to know what happens to my character, so I don’t ask. I read it a week before, just giving me enough time to prepare and/or raise a problem or a concern or question or whatever I may have before we go into it. But it’s as surprising to me as it is to our audience. I’m reading going, “Oh my God! Oh, wow! What?” Just being buckled in on this ride just like anybody else so it’s cool.
Breaking Bad has raised Cranston’s profile considerably – surely this will allow him to take on more roles:
I haven’t felt that yet because I am still in a relationship. She’s breaking up with me and I’m still denying it I think is what [I feel.]
Total Recall opens in the U.S. on August 3rd, 2012, Breaking Bad currently airs Sundays on AMC.
via: Collider
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