The chaotic directing pair of Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine must've been pleased with the early reaction to footage from their sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, bringing back Nicolas Cage as the skull faced Hell's Angel. While that buzz hasn't extended to Sony, who don't have the confidence to screen the film for critics(Boooo!!!), clearly the studio was happy with the finished product. So much so that they've just signed Taylor to a seven figure deal to direct a film based on the long running video game franchise, Twisted Metal.
I remember being the first of my friends to own Twisted Metal back when it debuted in 1995 on the Playstation, and it was clearly a game that helped Sony turn the corner in the video game wars. The "story" follows a number of combatants in an underground battle, outfitted with wild vehicles armed to the teeth with James Bond-esque weapons. The most memorable character is Sweet Tooth, a demented clown who drives a powered up ice cream truck. The latest game in the series just released yesterday on Playstation 3.
So basically what you have here is a potentially more violent version of Death Race, and with Taylor making his first solo directing effort it'll be interesting to see just how far he's willing to go. In the meant time, Taylor and Neveldine will continue to partner up on future flicks, with discussions underway for a possible third film in the Crank series. [Deadline]
