Taglines: Defending our world one soul at a time.
Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds headline the 3D supernatural action – adventure “R.I.P.D.” as two cops dispatched by the otherworldly Rest In Peace Department to protect and serve the living from an increasingly destructive array of souls who refuse to move peacefully to the other side.
Veteran sheriff Roy Pulsifer (Bridges) has spent his career with the legendary police force known as R.I.P.D. tracking monstrous spirits who are cleverly disguised as ordinary people. His mission? To arrest and bring to justice a special brand of criminals trying to escape final judgment by hiding among the unsuspecting on Earth.
Once the wise-cracking Roy is assigned former rising-star detective Nick Walker (Reynolds) as his junior officer, the new partners have to turn grudging respect into top-notch teamwork. When they uncover a plot that could end life as we know it, two of R.I.P.D.’s finest must miraculously restore the cosmic balance… or watch the tunnel to the afterlife begin sending angry souls the very wrong way.
One Soul at a Time: Developing R.I.P.D.
Before Peter M. Lenkov wrote for hit television series such as 24, CSI: NY and Hawaii Five-0, he cut his procedural teeth on the series of graphic novels known as “R.I.P.D.” Since Dark Horse Comics founder Mike Richardson first heard Lenkov’s pitch for this story about two rogue cops working on the other other side of the law in the late ’90s, Richardson has had an eye on adapting the otherworldly “R.I.P.D.” series of comics for the big screen.
During his tenure at Dark Horse, Richardson has led his team to translate some of their most popular graphic novels into hit films such as The Mask, Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. The producer knows that the endeavor of selecting the right time to adapt unique properties for the big screen is a strategic one. Richardson remarks: “As a publisher, you’re always looking for great publishing material. We try to recognize that potential, which is what happened with ‘R.I.P.D.’ Keeping mindful that his company traverses two mediums, Richardson adds: “It’s hard to be precious with the graphic novel when you’re talking about translating it to a screenplay. They have different requirements and elements that require a director who is able to extrapolate that something special to make a great film.”
First published in 2003, Lenkov’s popular four-issue series tells the raucous story of a police force comprising officers who are on their second tour of duty with the Rest In Peace Department. This team has the ability to traverse the real world and the netherworld to keep demons at bay and ensure that the balance of life and death—and the inherent safety of humanity—remains a guarantee.
Over the course of the past decade, several different treatments of the material were floated around Dark Horse, and some scripts came close to being made. But it was when R.I.P.D. executive producer Ori Marmur, a production executive at veteran producer Neal H. Moritz’s Original Film, saw Lenkov’s graphic novel during a visit to Richardson’s offices that the project kicked into high gear.
Fortuitously, Marmur—quite taken by the concept of the graphic novel in front of him—was having lunch with filmmaker David Dobkin and asked Richardson if he could show Dobkin “R.I.P.D.” to get the writer/director’s thoughts on the material. Dobkin called Richardson after reading the comic and advised that he loved the book and was interested in developing it into a film. In fact, he came onto R.I.P.D. and did a great deal of work on the story before the project took on a new direction.
Ultimately, it was the writing team of Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi—working from a story in which they share credit with Dobkin—who jump-started a version of the screenplay that Richardson and Moritz would feel was ready for the big screen. Richardson explains the next stage of development: “Phil and Matt were working on another Dark Horse project when we pitched them the idea of creating a screenplay for R.I.P.D. that expanded upon David’s terrific work. They liked the material and switched over from the earlier project to this one. We were lucky to get them.”
Coincidentally, over the past several years, Hay and Manfredi have also worked with Original Film on several other projects. Their writing style is complementary to the action genre in which Moritz, a prolific producer who counts the Fast & Furious franchise, 21 Jump Street and I Am Legend among his numerous film credits, excels. At the same time, the writers chose to infuse the story with additional elements that reflect their darkly comic tastes.
The richness of the premise and intricate world creation excited Moritz as much as it did Richardson. He notes: “On the conceptual level, the idea of the R.I.P.D. was a unique one about a police department whose sole task is to find the dead living amongst us and bring them back to the other side to face judgment. On another level, it hearkens back to my favorite buddy-cop films like 48 Hours and Lethal Weapon. There is this fantastic dynamic between these two guys. What we set out to do was make a buddy-cop movie that had great action, but at the same time we wanted to ensure that there are big stakes and the cinematic scope of a summer film.”
From the start, the screenwriting team’s goal was to retain the salient elements of the graphic novels while exploring the rapport between two wholly disparate guys—a newly dead modern-day police officer and his gunslinger counterpart from the Old West—and how they learn to work with one another. This interplay became the standout aspect of the script. Says Hay: “We wanted to maintain that inspirational nugget of the comic book. It’s morphed into this landscape that fits the best of what we’ve been thinking about over the last few years.”
Adds writing partner Manfredi: “But it always comes back to this buddy-cop movie that we wanted to tell of a newly dead officer and his veteran partner.”
Joining the core team in production duties was seasoned action producer Michael Fottrell, whose diverse résumé of motion-picture credits includes Fast & Furious, Fast Five and Live Free or Die Hard. Offers Fottrell: “What I loved about Phil and Matt’s script is that they were able to make this new world that Nick and Roy have entered just as believable as the one that exists on the plane that humans understand. It’s a delicate dance to merge comedy with action and spectacle, and they nailed it.”
Recruiting Boston’s Finest (2013)
It is through Boston police detective Nick Walker’s eyes that the audience is drawn into this divine order of law enforcement. A hard-charging detective who knows how to work the system, Nick pays the ultimate price when he is killed in the line of duty during a routine drug bust. Facing final judgment and unsure of what fate holds in store, Nick is given an offer he can’t refuse: Either take his thug-busting talents and pay a penance of 100 years of service in the R.I.P.D. or face an uncertain judgment in the afterlife. Propelled by the desire to find his murderer and reunite with his wife—and convinced he can sidestep the department’s strict rules—Nick opts for an assignment with the R.I.P.D. and begins an eternal education.
Early in the project’s genesis, Ryan Reynolds joined the film to portray the slain detective who has a big surprise awaiting him in the afterlife. Enthusiastic about the role and keen to take a more active part in the development, Reynolds also signed on as an executive producer. “The script has been through all sorts of iterations, and finally landed on this current version,” he shares. “I love the comic and our script takes its essence, as well as its basic plotlines and devices, and uses that. There’s a bit of tragedy and a love story wrapped up in this incredibly funny, charming movie, which is a hard thing to pull off.”
With Reynolds on board for one of the two lead roles, Robert Schwentke, who most recently directed the blockbuster Red—the eponymous action-comedy based on the comic book—would sign on for R.I.P.D. The filmmaker’s passion for the source material, as well as his vision for the action-adventure, made a real impression on Moritz, Richardson, Fottrell and Reynolds.
Moritz, who had seen Schwentke’s first feature film, the 2002 thriller Tattoo, was keen to work with the German-born director. “I met with Robert on numerous occasions for other movies, but I could never convince him to do one. When R.I.P.D. came up, I had a feeling we would get him and I was glad to get his call,” recounts the producer. “He is visually an amazing director. What I appreciate more than anything, though, is that he knows how to get to the heart of a movie. He gives us incredible visuals and action, as well as a terrific relationship between these two characters.”
Richardson agrees with his fellow producer on their choice, noting: “I really liked Red, so when Robert’s name first came up, we were excited to talk with him about the project. I have to say that his vision of the movie clicked right away for me. We listened to a lot of directors and they would be strong on one element or another, but Robert had a true vision for the film that really spoke to us.”
Schwentke would soon hunker down with Hay and Manfredi and begin to fine-tune the characterization and narrative, which, for material that is supernatural and fantasy-driven, is an arduous task. Recalls Hay: “Robert, Matt and I just holed up together. The core scenes in the movie—the true character comedy, what sets the movie apart—remain close to what was written from the very beginning. But when Robert came in, he had such a specific vision that it helped us take the mythology to another level. He had insanely awesome ideas, and we locked it up together and were able to put everything in the script that we always wanted.”
This period turned out to be most rewarding for the team as the direction of the film was solidified—especially when the filmmakers discovered they had a fan in Oscar®-winning actor Jeff Bridges, who would come aboard in the role of grizzled Sheriff Roycephus “Roy” Pulsifer. After serving several tours of duty for multiple infractions in the department, Roy has a weary “been-there, seen-that” attitude. Save his lone-gun style and persnickety ways, this R.I.P.D lawman is the best of the best and knows every trick in the cosmic universe.
The performer found a big fan in producer Moritz, who commends: “Jeff is one of my favorite actors of all time. When I learned that we were going to work together, it was one of the highlights of my filmmaking career. R.I.P.D. was almost made a number of times, and there were a number of actors who almost played this role. But when we were on the set watching him perform, I thought, ‘Who else did we ever think could play Roy?’ He came in and infused this character with such wit, sarcasm and lovability.”
Fresh off his Oscar®-nominated tour de force in True Grit, Bridges wasn’t initially looking to inhabit another cowboy role on the big screen. However, Roy’s subtle comedic panache—one reminiscent of Bridges’ turn as The Dude in the cult classic The Big Lebowski—piqued his curiosity. Bridges and his representatives had been aware of the R.I.P.D. script and had been tracking its progress until he felt it was the right time to approach the team. He recounts: “I threw my name into the hat and I’m lucky I got the gig. I’ve had a really good time.”
Bridges and Schwentke engaged in marathon conversations as they created a definitive persona for Roy. The actor was not disappointed with the director’s input, noting: “I enjoyed working with Robert so much. It’s funny, but when I’m preparing for a part, I find that I see everything through the filter of that role. While I’m working, I glean all kinds of inspiration from everything I’m around—from the way a guy sits in a chair to a book I’m reading. One of the things Robert turned me onto was a great artist named Jim Woodring (a cartoonist and Dark Horse Comics contributor) who created the cult comic ‘Frank.’” It’s very surreal and influenced my character quite a bit.”
Producer Richardson was pleased to see that the two worlds in which he worked had such an interesting crossover. He recalls the inspiration: “Jeff actually drew pictures of Jim’s character while he was sitting on the set. I loved it and asked Jim to create an original ‘Frank’ piece of art and gave that artwork to Jeff on set. Jeff returned the favor by signing one of his ‘Frank’ pieces for Jim.”
Even in the afterlife, Roy still has his demons; he carries several hundred years of grudges and baggage from his past, especially toward the coyotes that picked his bones clean after he was shot. Despite his musings of Zen-like detachment and trying to let go, Roy hasn’t dealt well with his own history…even though he believes he’s made peace.
The constant friction between the two mismatched cops drives the comedy throughout R.I.P.D. But even as Roy schools Nick in the rules of engagement or waxes poetic on life, love and the pursuit of Deados (laws-of-nature-defying souls that refuse to move on), the old coot offers up the rare insight that resonates with the rookie. “Occasionally, Roy produces a real nugget of wisdom, but usually it’s pretty tried and true,” laughs Reynolds. “He’s got 200 years of experience working in this world, and he knows there’s no way to reach out to loved ones left behind. With Roy’s guidance, Nick discovers that he’s haunting his wife and not connecting with her.”
Once Bridges and Reynolds began rehearsals in Boston, their congenial off-screen friendship could not help but influence their on-screen rapport. Says Bridges: “Ryan is a lovely cat. He just hits all of those targets and makes it come together, and that’s a special talent. We jam on so many levels. Acting is all about creating that illusion, but if you do have a cool relationship outside of shooting the movie, you can bring that into the work. Ryan and I had a good time together off the set just hanging out.”
R.I.P.D.
Directed by: Robert Schwentke
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephanie Szostak, Marisa Miller, Kevin Bacon
Screenplay by: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
Production Design by: Alec Hammond
Cinematography by: Alwin H. Küchler
Film Editing by: Mark Helfrich
Costume Design by: Roberto Craciunica, Susan Lyall
Set Decoration by: Kathy Lucas
Music by: Christophe Beck
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, sci-fi / fantasy action, some sensuality, and language including sex references
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, sci-fi/fantasy action, some sensuality, and language including sex references.
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: July 18, 2013
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