Mark Neveldine Says ‘Crank 3’ “Will Happen” & He Wants Idris Elba To Join Jason Statham
While talking to British movie magazine Empire, Mark Neveldine, one half of the Neveldine/Taylor directorial partnership behind the two “Crank” movies, has let slip some information that will allow us to all sleep a little more peacefully tonight. Yes, by god, they want to make a “Crank 3.” And what’s more — it might co-star one of their “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” principles. Hallelujah.
While talking with the magazine about working with Idris Elba, the artist formerly known as Stringer Bell, about his role in the new ‘Ghost Rider’ reboot/sequel/who cares, they floated the idea of Elba appearing in the next ‘Crank’ installment. Neveldine, who strikes us as a pretty excitable guy as-is, seemed pumped at the idea. “I would LOVE that!” Neveldine said. “Actually, we joking-but-not-quite-jokingly joked about that with Idris while we were over in Romania and Turkey [filming ‘Ghost Rider’]. Just trying to figure out a way of getting him into ‘Crank 3.’ ”
Not that the directors have worked out what the second sequel to the genuinely refreshing “Crank” would be. “There are so many different ways that ‘Crank 3’ could go,” Neveldine said. “We’ve been talking about the top 50 ideas we want to do for ‘Crank 3,’ so we’re just trying to pair them down.”
And while this may sound like blue-sky dreaming, Neveldine is adamant that it will happen. ” ‘Crank 3’ is going to happen,” he told Empire. “The studios are really excited about it — it’s just all about timing.” For those who are worried about whether or not Jason Statham, star of the first two ‘Crank’ films, will be back to return given his rather finite goodbye in the sequel, fear not. “You insert another quarter and you play the game again. It’s kind of like what thrills me and Brian [Taylor], it’s whatever we feel like doing there in the moment. The important thing is what powers Chev. It was adrenaline that kept him alive in the first one, it was electricity in the second one, it’s all about what will keep him alive in the third one.” Wow. Now we undertand why Armond White calls these guys geniuses.
Anyway, for some reason Empire brings up The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson, as a possible additional cast member to the ‘Crank’-verse (does he have a cameo in ‘Ghost Rider’ or something?), and Neveldine sounded psyched as usual: “Yeah man, anytime! If we could play something around him, fit him into our world, that would be amazing. We love that guy.”
And we love you, Mark Neveldine. “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” opens on February 17th, 2012, whether you like it or not.
