Mark Wahlberg Ready for What Sounds Like an Alt-'Max Payne'

Sounds like Wahlberg is officially being type-cast

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Friday, March 6th 2009 at 5:22 AM

Mark Wahlberg hit a high note with The Departed in 2006, but since then it has been Shooter, We Own the Night, The Happening and Max Payne. Not an impressive line-up if you ask me. Of course he still has the potentially good The Lovely Bones later this year directed by Peter Jackson and he is also attached to Darren Aronofsky's The Fighter, but the chances of that being Aronofsky's next feature are looking slim. So, when word comes down Wahlberg is set to star in what sounds like a second rate kidnap thriller you begin to think his best days are already behind him.

The film is Prisoners and it was written by first-time scribe Aaron Guzikowski. The story centers on a Boston man who turns vigilante after his daughter and her best friend are kidnapped. No director is attached, but perhaps they can find John Moore and turn this into a second stab at Max Payne.

I will say the idea of Wahlberg teaming with Will Ferrell in the Warner comedy The B Team for director Adam McKay sounds promising. The plot hasn't been revealed yet outside of the knowledge the two actors play cops, but it sounds like something a little different for the actor, which is always a good thing.