INTERVIEW: Speedman on ‘xXx 3,’ ‘Underworld 2’ and More

Scott Speedman is not exactly a household name… yet, but he is picking his roles carefully and since Underworld in 2003 he has been relatively absent from the movie world. So what does this one time “Felicity” star have to say about his latest feature, xXx: State of the Union as well as his upcoming project Underworld 2 and then some?

Now days with any film the first thought is whether or not there is going to be a sequel and once you see State of the Union you will realize that the sequel possibilities are there and Speedman may be a big part of that as his role of Agent Kyle Steele is not exactly limited, but when asked about a xXx 3 Speedman isn’t exactly confident but it doesn’t sound like he is doubting the opportunity.

“Because they kind of dismantled it after the first one, we’ll see. I have no idea.” But when asked whether or not he was signed or if there had been any talk of a xXx 3 he simply said, “I believe I am signed.”

While the future of the xXx franchise may be in the air the possibilities for Speedman’s character are endless, but could he be the next xXx?

“Well, I don’t know about that. No one’s said that to me. I don’t know if they’d bank on me to be the next xXx. I can’t really see that. It’d be more of a comedy.” But if they asked would he do it? “I don’t know if I could handle that. I don’t know if I could do that.”

Okay, okay so what about the franchise who would he like to see take over the role, “Man, I have no idea. I’d say some great actors, but they wouldn’t ever do it. I think Clive Owen or somebody like that would be great. I’d love that if I got to work with him but he ain’t doing it so I have no idea.”

So the new on xXx 3 is scarce, what about Speedman’s other 2005 flick… Underworld 2 where he will be returning as the vampire-werewolf half-breed Michael Corvin?

“[Underworld 2] was physical. That I’ll brag about, that was really physical for me. I finished that two weeks ago and I’m still tired from that.”

Could it be more physical than the stunt filled xXx: State of the Union?

“A lot more for me, they knew after the first one, in a way I proved to them that I could do a lot of stuff, so in the second one; it was just taken for granted that I would do most everything in the movie, so it was a hard work load.”

When we last left Michael Corvin he had transformed into the character you see in the pic above, and landed a nice spot in Seline’s (Kate Beckinsale) heart, but where does he go from there?

“It’s tough to say, it’s more about the relationship. I wish I could say more about it, but in a lot of ways, I’m still very much supporting that main character. It’s more I’m the sidekick, a good one, but I’m the sidekick to be honest. It’s really [Seline’s] movie in a sense.”

If you remember the first Underworld you remember that pretty much all the werewolf effects were done old school style with a man in a rubber suit on stilts, and turned out to be quite convincing, could the effects have gotten better in the second?

“I think they’re a lot better. I think it’s very good and I’m not necessarily a huge fan of those movies, so for me when I see the stuff they put together, I’m very impressed. I think Len Weisman, the director, did a great job and they hired a very, very good director of photography.”

Once again as you can tell from the pic above it isn’t exactly the clean cut man you see in the pic at the beginning of this article, so how did he take to all the makeup he had to wear?

“Oh, that stuff is cool. They changed it up a little bit, but they added to that whole thing for sure. I was in it a lot more also.”

So how about Speedman’s future, what is he looking forward to and who would he like to work with in terms of directors?

“I’m trying to find the next thing I want to do. I don’t know what it’s going to be but I’m trying to find something good to do.” As far as directors go he certainly has a good eye, “Danny Boyle, Paul Thomas Anderson, guys like that. I’d love to do a David Fincher film. I think he’s great. On a big scale like that, I love those movies. You know, a lot of guys that we don’t even know about. Instead of working with guys that were great in the ’70s, I’d rather work with guys that are peaking in a sense now. But guys like Terry Malick too that I would love to work with.”

Fincher for sure, long live Fight Club and Seven.

Needless to say, while Speedman says he has nothing planned for the future and no offers on the table his future in film is not over and his optimism is undeniable.

xXx: State of the Union hits theaters this Friday and look for Underworld 2 on December 2nd.

I would like to thank Kamal at 3BlackChicks.com for her help on this interview.

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