Is Wild Card [2015] a Novel or a True Story?

wild card movie

The riveting 2015 action thriller film Wild Card,” which was directed by Simon West, doesn’t take long to get out of control. The noir saga follows Nick Wild, a serial gambler and maybe ex-army man who leads a quiet life while assisting others. When a wounded and battered Dolly shows up at Nick’s home, Nick must settle the score as peacefully as he can. Today’s thugs, however, do not tolerate humiliation, so Nick must devise a strategy to protect his back when the Italian mafia attacks him head-on. You have to question how much of the story is based in reality, even if the movie depicts a gritty aspect of Las Vegas that is rarely shown in movies. Let’s put an end to your curiosity if it is keeping you up at night.

Is Wild Card a Novel or a True Story?

Goldman in 1987-

Wild Card is not based on a true story, to be clear. It is a remake of the Burt Reynolds–starring 1986 adaption of William Goldman’s 1985 novel Heat. The film hides a lot of the defining characteristics of classic noir stories, such as an anti-hero protagonist with hubris. If not for his greed and overconfidence in his ability to continue his winning streak, he might have been a winner. When it comes to gambling, the majority of the specifics are painstakingly retained in the film. The film was directed by seasoned action filmmaker Simon West, who used a script and scenario by author, dramatist, and screenwriter William Goldman. In the way, the movie is a remake of Jason Statham’s favorite novel, the Goldman bestseller “Heat.” Statham spent five years working on the project by himself, according to West. Statham demonstrated the book to West while they were co-stars in the motion picture “The Mechanic.”

Brian De Palma

On the set of “Expendables 2,” he brought up the book once more, which led to Simon West being involved in the endeavor.  Brian De Palma, an underappreciated filmmaker, was originally scheduled to direct, but West took his place. Luckily, because they had collaborated on “The General’s Daughter,” West was already familiar with William Goldman’s writing.

West thought it would be wonderful to work with Goldman on an original script by the maestro, even though the screenwriter had simply improved the project’s draught by fixing the story holes. Goldman had not written a script in eleven years; his last was for the Lawrence Kasdan film “Dreamcatcher” in 2003. When West contacted Goldman for help, he just offered the advice to make sure Nick appeared to be the most vicious person in Vegas. In the film, everybody in the room is familiar with Nick and is aware of his abilities. The script’s clarity makes the movie shine, and the director was expressly fortunate to receive a pre-written script during the early project stages.

Additionally, Statham went above and beyond to embody the part. He had to maintain his leanness for the role, thus his only food sources were spinach and brown rice. The 1969 Ford Gran Torino that the character drives to completes the look of the persona. In “Starsky and Hutch,” you’ll see the vehicle as it appeared in 1975. Looking at all these diverse elements, it appears that despite being a realistic and original character-driven thriller, the film is most at home in the realm of fiction.