Studio interest in post-apocalyptic flicks has
exploded in recent years, with big-budget projects like I Am Legend, Wall-E, Terminator
Salvation, and Viggo Mortensen's upcoming The Road showcasing various harrowing
visions of humanity's future.
One post-apocalyptic project that has managed to
fly somewhat under the radar is The Book of Eli, the first movie helmed by sibling directors Albert and Allen Hughes since 2001's From Hell. The film stars Denzel Washington as the “lone hero in a
not-too-distant apocalyptic future who must fight across America to bring society the
knowledge that could be the key to its redemption,” with said knowledge
presumably contained in the titular book.
Little is known about The Book of Eli beyond the above-mentioned Variety synopsis, so today we asked Punisher: War Zone star Ray Stevenson, who recently
joined the film's cast, to shed some light on its futuristic setting:
"The world in which it is set is completely
uncompromising," Stevenson told us. "The most precious commodity is
actually water, because virtually all of the water is poison, toxic -- whether
it's due to eruptions from the earth or the poisons in the sky. These very basic
things are what drives human nature down to almost animalistic qualities. But what
still separates us from the animals?"
Stevenson will play an enforcer sent to hunt down
Denzel before he can rescue humanity from its dismal fate. The Book of Eli starts shooting in New Mexico in February, with a release date slated for January 15, 2010.