Working under prosthetics clearly helped to energise Aaron Eckhart for The Dark Knight (though we’re sure the presence of Christopher Nolan and a solid script didn’t hurt). So it’s not shocking to learn he’s submitting to the makeup artist’s chair again for** I, Frankenstein.
Stuart Beattie has written the script, and is taking on directorial duties for the film, which is based on Underworld co-creator Kevin Grevioux’s graphic novel. The plot follows Adam, the creature from Mary Shelley’s story who has somehow escaped the mob of angry villagers and their fire-happy ways, and is still surviving in the present day thanks to a genetic quirk. Ending up in a strange, dark metropolis, he’s ensnared in a massive, centuries old war between two battling immortal clans.
''Mary Shelley's story is about the creation of the first human being,” Beattie tells Variety. “This is the story about that being becoming human.” It's Beattie's second effort as director after Tomorrow When The War Began, but he has a long history as a screenwriter on the likes of Collateral, Australia and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Beattie and co will be hoping that the twist on the Franken-story will make the film stand out from the glut of films being produced (at least five at last count) about the mad scientist and his creation. Beattie will kick off shooting this coming January in Australia.