What if Deadwood became a movie?

[sterling_treadwell]

This is to kick back and imagine the "What If's" about a potential theatrical or web-based feature based on this game.

Here's a couple things to contemplate:

Live action, CGI, hand drawn animation or stop motion(like claymation)? What would you prefer? Why would it work or not work?

Who would play/voice the characters?

What studio would likely want to make the movie?

What kind of movie would it be? Straight horror? Humor? Kids movie? gritty post apocalyptic nightmare?

What do you think the plot would entail (be as simple or detailed as you like!)?

Who should score the soundtrack? Any rocking songs by favorite bands that should be included?

And anything else you can think of.

We poked at this on one of the twitch sessions and the dev's mentioned how it would be kool to see it as a stop motion movie, like The Boxtrolls or some of Tim Burton's creations. I mentioned how a lot of the look reminded me of the muppets, so I'd image it having a sort of Jim Henson vibe and have modern animatronics and puppetry used for the characters.

What do YOU think? (be Sure to quiz @Amanda on some of your favorite movies and influences whenever possible!! LOL)

[JohnS]

Honestly, Deadwood as a movie would probably remind me a lot of a movie called STRINGS. All the characters in it are marionette style puppets and the fact that they have strings attached to them is well known and incorporated into the lore of their world, but never breaks the fourth wall. They are a puppet show, but they don't know that they are.

I feel if Deadwood took a similar approach to this it would be really enjoyable. The whole of their world is just a show, but to them it is what really exists.

As far as style, I think going with a Jim Henson's Dark Crystal style of puppets would be the best choice. It would allow for the characters to have their cartoonish look about them, while still giving a realistic feel to the environment to feel like this world exists.

I feel like this movie would be best suited as an Adventure film with elements of horror and comedy. Just dark enough to be suspenseful, and just goofy enough to keep it from getting to dark.

Voice casting:

Lathe- Jay Baruchel
Roguard- Vin Diesel (what? Don't look at me like that! He did a wonderful job as the Iron Giant! Yeah. That's what I thought )
Radley- Brian Mathis
???- Tim Curry (I don't know who he'd play, but he HAS to be in it!)

Studio: ???

Plot: Not sure. Honestly would want Deadwood's developers to have a heavy influence on direction though. That way the story would stay true to their vision.

Sound track:

(Song - Band)
Stick Together - Eels
I'm Impressed - They Might Be Giants
Take Me Back - Kongos
Alexithymia - Anberlin
Stella - Cereus Bright (if there is a love interest in movie)

This is just my spur of the moment thoughts on this, so my ideas might change, but I think a movie based around this would be killer!

[Amanda]

I would love to see Tim Curry in a Deadwood movie!!!

[Brandinni]

I think that Laika would be all over this if it became a movie. You could easily get the look and style of Deadwood in a stop-motion film.

[sterling_treadwell]

Personally I think puppetry or stop motion would be perfect for this. I like the idea that a (generally) inanimate object (wood) is given shape form and something of a soul (and then loses it's soul to become a zombie husk) would be best emphasized if it was done as some physical form to give it a sense of authenticity. If it was all cgi they would likely want to replicate what would be done as stop motion so it felt "real" and not cgi. And you would have plenty of opportunity to look at their world, paralleling our own, and think of how many metaphoric "strings" are pulling and guiding people in life. Are we so different from these wooden folk? Does it matter that they're animated wood and we're flesh and blood?

the tone would likely be a mixture of dark creepy combined with a sense of adorable humor and moments of high adventure. possibly like Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. but not exactly like that. Or possibly Folklore.

I'd imagine the opening would be something like Lathe narrating and introducing himself ( somethng akin to how they started how to train a dragon) and following him as he started his day going out and searching the woods for various seemingly useless or random items and materials, feelings something like a montage as he does so through the day but eventually making his way home as the sun sets, to show a sinisted flip in tone as the deadwood come out at night and he is well protected with fortifications around his home. The next morning he wakes and prepares to do the same routine, happily, only to find out that part of the stone cliff on the backside of his home has fallen away making his precious fortification severely compromised. He runs through the woods trying to find materials and has a general panic attack/meltdown. returning home midday he discovers the large stone cliff is just GONE and most of his home is destroyed. Sad, scard, and losing all hope, he sits atop a pile of broken rubble, giving up all hope, and falls asleep in his own tears.

only to awaken in the morning sitting atop what looks like a huge lumpy stone pillar, still alive and safe from the deadite horde. upon trying to scramble down the lumps to the ground he discovers this is no stone pillar but actually Roguard, a stone golem who , we discover, accidentally destroyed Lathe's home AND saved his bacon during the night. They initially don't find common ground (at first Lath is adversarial with Roguard and tries to shoo him away) but over time and Roguards insistence on following the funny little wooden man, they become close friends, allies, and a team. It is then that they come upon the main plot of the movie.. why are the deadites still swarming in such numbers?

I think it would be a very heartwarmin story and easily lead to tons of plushies and toys. they could even bring back the old SLIME we had as kids to put in the deadwood so when you shoot them with plastic guns they EXPLODE into slimey chunks... lol.. (yeah..parents would hate it!)

[UnshelledMocha]

This needs to be a thing!

[Adam]

I had always seen it as a stop motion, but man, going the Henson route (ala dark crystal) would be epic as well. I also had envisioned the same voice actors for both Lathe and Roguard. We're on the same page man. Story wise, honestly right now I would want it similar to our story. We've shared just the tip of the iceberg and it's something we're really excited for.

[Adam]

Agreed, I would LOVE for them to do this.