Wags from here to Stamford, Connecticut are saying WWE films is developing an Undertaker origin movie. Word is that it takes place in the Old West, using black hat/white hat tropes to explain why the Phenom is the man (or Deadman) he is today.
So how can the WWE do justice to The Undertaker? Here are four suggestions we offer to WWE free of charge to ensure a kick-ass Western Undertaker.
1) Don't Let The Undertaker Play The Undertaker
Bookend the movie with the present-day
Undertaker. Could be after another Wrestlemania win or just a random Smackdown
episode. Don’t matter. Be sure to show him doing his thing in that match,
because that’s going to be it for the Deadman. After his match, have him find a
dark, quite hole to reflect in. Maybe he can rub his urn? Or play with his hat?
Or fondle a skull or something as he ponders his family’s legacy. Then take us
way back and tell the story using real actors. Find a complete and utter badass
to play his ancestor. Ray Stevenson would be cool . . .but don’t be cheap here, WWE.
Bring in somebody with clout. Give us Viggo Mortensen as the original
Undertaker.
2) Don’t Have The Actors Wrestle . . .
but have the Old West Undertaker do the signature Undertaker moves. There’s no need for an Old West cage match, but give the fans what they want. The Old West Undertaker doing a chokeslam through a saloon table would get a huge pop. Maybe he slaps the Devil’s Gate on some whacked-out Native on peyote. Really go deep and have the Old West Undertaker administer The Last Ride after some crazy stagecoach chase. Use the wrestling moves sparingly, but use them wisely.
3) Load the movie up with “That Guys”
Westerns are great vehicle for character actors. Having the right “That Guys” in a movie can help create a colorful Old West vibe. You’ll need the sheriff, the barkeep, the whore with the heart of gold and the evil rich land baron. Avoid the temptation to cast wrestlers in these roles. Go for the pros, like Brad Dourif, Clancy Brown, Shawnee Smith or Kris Kristofferson.
4) Don't Rush Things.
The story needs to be strong here. If the WWE chintzes out on the script, they could inadvertently do harm to The Undertaker’s legacy. The right story could put The Undertaker over like no wrestler before him. The Undertaker doesn’t have too many years left. Closing out his career with a compelling origin story could not only add depth and opportunity to a character who’s literally done it all. A strong enough story could even set up the next Undertaker when Mark Calaway is ready to pass the urn and retire.
The WWE has an incredible opportunity here. Their track record so far sucks. If they take their lead from how Marvel Studios is handling their properties, an Undertaker Western could usher a new era for the WWE.
Further reading:
Relive The Undertaker’s WresleMania Wins.
