Premiering tonight on Starz is David S. Goyer's Da Vinci’s Demons. The show stars Tom Riley as the artist/inventor/swordsman/idealist living in Renaissance Florence, struggling to exist within the confines of his own reality and time as he begins to not only see the future, but invent it. I've seen the first four episodes and they're really well done. I definitely recommend tuning in later tonight. For more on the show, watch this trailer.
Recently, I sat down with Goyer for an extended interview. We talked about how much of the show is based on actual facts, how important it is to balance storylines that resolve themselves within a season and those that carry on throughout multiple seasons, whether he knows the answers to the bigger story arcs, the portrayal of the Catholic Church (specifically the Pope), Bear McCreary's music, creating the show’s sets practically and shooting on location in castles, season 2, and more. In addition, we talked about The Count of Monte Cristo, Godzilla, his thoughts on Man of Steel after watching a screening, whether he would be willing to do more Batman movies, and more.
- :30 How much of the show is based in actual facts? Talks about what the inventions and characters are based on.
- 2:35 How important is it for him balance storylines that resolve themselves within the seasons and those that carry on throughout multiple seasons?
- 3:31 Does he know the answers to the bigger arcs already? Says there are scenes in the first season that point to how the whole series will end.
- 4:14 Talks about inventing storylines vs. pulling stuff from Da Vinci’s actual life. Says there are years of his life where he went missing and no one knows who his mother was.
- 5:40 The portrayal of the Catholic Church in the series and specifically the Pope.
- 7:15 Talks about creating the show’s sets practically and shooting on location in castles.
- 7:57 Talks about the show’s music by Bear McCreary and how important it is to the story.
- 9:38 What’s the coolest movie-related swag he has in his office? Says he has Blade’s sword and some scale models of the Tumbler from Batman Begins.
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10:20 Should the show get picked up for a second season, how will he juggle doing that and directing Count of Monte Cristo?
- 11:03 Talks about his involvement with Godzilla.
- 12:05 Tells the story of how he first got involved with writing Man of Steel after hitting a wall on the story for The Dark Knight Rises.
- 14:05 What was his first reaction after seeing Man of Steel?
- 14:55 If Warner Bros. asked him to be involved with another Batman movie, would he do it?
- 15:45 Is there a comic book that he’s read recently that he really enjoys? Says Matt Fraction is approved to be a writer on Da Vinci’s Demons if they’re picked up for a second season.
