Mark Millar's 'The Secret Service' Comic Book gets its screen adaptation!

It appears that the spy craze from the 1960s has been getting revived somehow recently, as in the past decade, the media started forgetting all about them and instead focus an unreal "realistic" Jason Bourne style that's been destroying the spy thriller genre for a long time already. People have nearly forgotten what made that genre smashing; using fantasy-themed plots, larger-than-life/over-the-top villains, unstoppable secret agents in control of every situation they are dragged in, delivering one liners, dressing in the best suits and tuxedos, enjoying vodka martinis that are shaken, but not stirred, and taking the life as an easy subject. But, now, all those things seem to have gone partially, however until Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol reclaimed all the fun that made the spy craze spectacular. By then, following the next year, Mark Millar, one of the most legendary comic book writers, has released his own spy miniseries wholly inspired from the Classic James Bond (1962-2004) movies, and titled the franchise The Secret Service.

The Secret Service characters.

The Secret Service centers on two men at first; secret agent John Edward "Jack" London, MI6's top operative in service for over 30 years, and his nephew, Gary London, a washed out and low-life teenager, living like a streetpunk, hijacking cars and committing non-lethal crimes against the law. To get him out of that madness, Uncle Jack recruits Gary to the British Intelligence, and puts him in training for three years, who would later become as superior as his uncle being a covert operative. As soon as Gary becomes an active agent in service, he teams up with his uncle on a mission to stop a supervillain from provoking a world-wide catasrophe, causing the death of Five Billion People, in order to start a new life, new breed and new world, where everybody would be able to control themselves.

Mark Millar compared the family relationship between Uncle Jack and Gary with the one that occurred between Terence Young, the director of three James Bond movies, and Sean Connery, who played Bond himself in six official films and one unofficial product by Kevin McClory and Irwin Kershner. Connery, at the time, wasn't familiar with the high-life, and to be one, he was trained as a protege by Young, who took him under his wing, and went to the five-star luxurious restaurants, taught him how to speak to women, introduced him to the most proper clothing he should be buying his outfits and suits from. And afterwards, Connery smoothly played James Bond as a tongue-and-cheek character, impossible to defeat. The same things occurred in the events of The Secret Service, where Uncle Jack trained Gary to be his protege, and later replacement if he retires, not just to be a partner.

Uncle Jack shows Gary how to dress like a gentleman super-spy.

Earlier this year, Mark Millar has agreed to adapt the miniseries to film with his long-time pal, Matthew Vaughn taking the helm of the project. Vaughn previously wanted to make a spy movie in the mould of an over-the-top James Bond adventure, unable to get to it, he tried to portray the style of the classy 1960s spy craze in the first three quarters of his X-Men: First Class, a Marvel product, far from being my personal favourite. He told Michael Fassbender, who in time was playing the role of a younger Erik Lensherr (better known as 'Magneto'), to give his persona the feeling as if he was in the essence of the James Bond character. And he succeeded with that one. So, with this opportunity he finally has took, the film he's going to handle is not just a spy movie, but a total utter action movie. In the comics, many famous names such as Mark Hamill (the voice of The Joker from Batman: The Animated Series and its sequels), Pierce Brosnan (The fifth and the final James Bond actor), Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation), among others. But, the question is, will those same actors make appearance in the film itself? or their shoes will be altered by different names?

 

Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Stewart make their cameos in the climactic finale.

So far, only few actors have been cast in specific roles, featuring Colin Firth as Uncle Jack; Taron Egerton, an unknown actor, plays his protege and nephew, Gary London; Michael Caine as the head of the British Intelligence/MI6; Samuel L. Jackson as Gazelle, the main villain's own henchman; Sofia Boutella as Ambrosia Chase, the main villain's girlfriend. Others haven't been revealed yet but filming has already begun, with Firth and Egerton seen on sight, probably playing the part where Uncle Jack offers Gary something he cannot refuse. The film will be released on 14th November 2014 in the US, but a release date for the UK is still being considered.

Colin Firth and Taron Egerton on the set of The Secret Service.

Are you excited? Or not? Express yourself below and thank you for reading.