What can a single film do for a dead career? Just ask Mickey Rourke. Fresh off the success of The Wrestler Rourke, quoted extensively in recent interviews talking about how he'd been having trouble paying his rent in recent days, is now poised to be among the highest of the high profile in 2009. How so? Well, word is Rourke - and also Sam Rockwell - is in the final stages of negotiations to play the villain in Iron Man 2. And just done negotiations? A key role in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables, along with Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and probably Forest Whitaker and Ben Kingsley. That's not such a bad year. Hope he's giving Aronofsky a cut.
"Hope he’s giving Aronofsky a cut."
erm, prior to "the Wrestler", he hadn't exactly disappeared.
I seem to remember him appearing (and kicking ASS) in Sin City fairly recently. And don't forget Domino and Spun in the years before that...
Certainly, he wasn't recieving the same critical aclaim he's been receiving for 'The Wrestler', but he's still been hanging around the fringes giving some pretty great performances...
Also, starring in an action movie alongsode Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li does not sound like the brightest career move. I'll be happy to be proved wrong but "the Expendables" had got 'straight-to-video' written all over it.
As a HUGE Mickey Rourke fan since Body Heat I won't hold my breath for Rourke to screw up his standing in Hollywood again in the very near future. The guy is an amazing actor, but sadly it is looking more and more like he is a piece of shit as a human being.
The Mickey Rourke from Angel Heart, 9 1/2 Weeks, Johnny Handsome, Barfly, and more has long been gone. I've rented every direct to video movie this guy has done and followed his career every step of the way, and basically watched as he threw away (as Brando did in later years) a very promising career.
And of course Rourke was great in The Wrestler, but it wasn't that original considering Rourke made essentially the same movie years earlier with Homeboy.
For a shining moment Mickey Rourke was the coolest, sexiest, most genuine actor that ever lived, and now he is a homophobic, misogynist, busted up freak.
Rourke will always be interesting to watch as an actor because he isn't acting, he's playing versions of his damaged, dangerous self, and that's cool but I wouldn't expect too many more starring roles with that Halloween mask he's wearing for a face.
And Chris Mac, The Expendables is EXACTLY the kind of movie Rourke should be in! He is a great character actor and will steal scenes in supporting roles.
I used to give Rourke a free pass when it came to the absurd roles he picked, Wild Orchid, FTW, Fall Time, etc and though he has been great in Man On Fire and Buffalo 66, as someone that used to be the guy's biggest fan, he has a lot more than The Wrestler to make before I'll ever love and respect him like I used to.
@ Chris Mac
'“the Expendables” had got ‘straight-to-video’ written all over it.'
wait wait wait, boy, Expendables a straight to dvd/Video(dead)?
No Way! This is something every interesting going on here.
When Stallone was offered to direct Rambo 5, he refused, but promised to deliver with The Expendables a similiar Shot as 'John Rambo'
So you have the Story of the Soldiers from 'John Rambo' told here, on another mission in a different Time.
You can Smell the Budget very strong.
It's never going to be a lame-arse-cheapi like Seagal oder Wesley Snipes doing currently.
This one will be on the Top with 'John Rambo'