November 18, 2009 The New York Post recently spoke to actor Kevin McKidd (Dog Soldiers, Rome, Journeyman), who voices the Captain “Soap” McTavish character in the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. They talk about the possibility of a film.
They were looking for a rough, Scottish actor in Hollywood they probably couldn’t get Gerard Butler, so they got the No. 2 Gerard Butler, me. I had no idea it would be so huge, and now there are talks of a feature film,” he revealed to PopWrap. Then came the kicker, when asked if he would be bringing Soap to life in the movie, he said, “if the script is good, and Gerard isn’t available [laughs], then absolutely.”
Well it is nothing solid and looks like it is just talks at the moment but with the massive success of Modern Warfare 2 I imagine a film will soon follow.
McKidd, also went on to say that a film based on the TV series Rome is in the works as well.
“There is a script that is being shopped and it’s supposedly very good, I haven’t seen it, but I am definitely going to be a part of the movie,” Kevin told PopWrap. He then went on to say that his character, soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus, is not dead despite what happened in the show. “He very much alive, so that should be a fun story to tell.” source: Live for Films
Kevin McKidd: Being a super soldier in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 finally gave me chance to use my real accent
Kevin McKidd: Being a super soldier in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 finally gave me chance to use my real accent Nov 11 2009 By Brian McIver
FROM the Highlands of Scotland to ancient Rome to Seattle Grace hospital, he is the man behind some of the toughest soldiers on screen.
Scots actor Kevin McKidd has become a Hollywood star thanks to his military roles in movies and TV programmes such as Rome and Grey's Anatomy.
Now he's playing a hard-bitten army captain in a new blockbuster video game.
And he revealed he has been humbled by the dozens of letters he has received from real-life war heroes over the last year.
The Elgin born actor, who this week launched the new combat video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, has been acclaimed for his portrayal of a traumatised war medic in American TV sensation Grey's Anatomy. Since joining the show last year he has been flooded with emotional letters from the real veterans of conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq. And McKidd, 36, said that getting positive feedback and thanks from true military heroes for his role as Major Owen Hunt have been the best reviews he has ever received.
He said: "Grey's Anatomy is a wonderful show to work on, and I really enjoy playing Owen. The writers have done such a good job with him and there is so much to work with. But one of the best bits about it all is that we have had a lot of letters, mainly to the writers but also including me, from people who are very grateful that a show of this size and reach is dealing with a subject like this. What's going on over there is very controversial politically, but we've been trying to tell the human story out there. We're telling the story of these very brave men and women and what it is to come back, pick up your life and move forward with that experience of a war zone. So there's been a lot of positive feedback from veterans and people working in the support system, as well as parents, loved ones, wives and husbands of returning veterans. They are delighted we are casting light on a subject that not a lot of people are talking about. It makes me very proud and pleased - it's nice to know people are happy with it. It's great to know that people are not just watching, but taking something from it."
Kevin is currently filming season six of Grey's, which arrives on British screens in January on Living.
He joined the cast of the number one rated US show last year, playing a former army surgeon on the staff at the Seattle Grace hospital who suffers from terrible trauma after Iraq. He only came into the show on a trial basis, but audience reaction to his heroic flame-haired doc was so positive, he's been snapped up on a long-term contract.
Kevin said: "This is the first time I've done a job that I wasn't in from day one, but everyone was very welcoming, the writers are great and the cast are wonderful. It's a very big show, but if you focus on the magnitude of the job and the size of the thing, you lose your focus so I just tried to put it out of my mind . I could potentially be in the show for another three series beyond this one.
"I've certainly noticed a lot of things changing in the last year thanks to the show. I get a lot more double takes in the supermarket, but when people stop to say hello, they get a surprise when they hear my Scottish accent."
Kevin admitted the programme's emotional moments even get to him.
He said: "Certain storylines get under your skin - for me it is stories involving kids which get me every time because I have my own kids, but the writing is very clever and it does pull at your heart strings in every episode.
"Don't get me wrong, there's also a lot of laughter on set. We're not sitting there moping around all day, but sometimes it does get to you."
Kevin, who got his first break in Trainspotting 13 years ago, has found a whole range of diverse projects have suddenly become available to him during breaks from the show.
He has a lead role in a new children's fantasy movie - Percy Jackson And The Olympians - due out next Spring.
And he has signed up to provide a voice for the upcoming Pixar movie The Bow And The Bear, alongside Billy Connolly and Reese Witherspoon.
But for the moment Kevin is busy with the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, predicted to be the biggest selling computer game of all-time. It is expected to make £160million in sales during the first week in Britain alone.
He has provided the voice for super soldier Captain "Soap" Mactavish, the head of an anti-terrorist task force. And the actor, who previously had a small voice role in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City seven years ago, said he loved the chance to just let loose and enjoy himself playing soldiers. He admitted: "This was one of those moments in your career when you just get to have a bit of fun. It was tiring because I would spend the whole day screaming orders at the top of my voice and then to get my voice to the place it needed to be, I found I was throwing myself about the studio like I was jumping on a real motorbike or a Jeep at times. But it was great fun and was like all the acting you'd want to do when you were a boy.
"I also got to keep my accent which was refreshing as well, as I spend all my energy at the moment hiding my native voice." He joked: "I think that's one of the reasons I got the part actually - they needed to record in LA, I've got a work permit there, I'm Scottish and Gerard Butler wasn't available." Kevin added: "These days games are getting bigger than movies. Call of Duty was already huge, and this will build on that. Even during game play, it's like watching a movie. It's a very powerful and emotional story. I was never into games much myself, but I might try it out. My son has an XBox, and while I won't be letting him play it, I might have a shot of it when he is in his bed."
Kevin McKidd may be giving countryman Gerard Butler some serious box office competition in the near future! In a new interview Kevin told PopWrap that two of his most beloved projects have big screen versions in the works. First up, the oft-rumored about feature film based on HBO's gone-too-soon "Rome!"
"There is a script that is being shopped and it's supposedly very good, I haven't seen it, but I am definitely going to be a part of the movie," Kevin told PopWrap. He then went on to say that his character, soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus, is not dead despite what happened in the show. "He very much alive, so that should be a fun story to tell."
On a more animated note, Kevin -- who voices Captain "Soap" MacTavish in "Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2" -- says that the hugely successful video game franchise is also eyeing a big screen incarnation.
"They were looking for a rough, Scottish actor in Hollywood they probably couldn't get Gerard Butler, so they got the No. 2 Gerard Butler, me. I had no idea it would be so huge, and now there are talks of a feature film," he revealed to PopWrap. Then came the kicker, when asked if he would be bringing Soap to life in the movie, he said, "if the script is good, and Gerard isn't available [laughs], then absolutely."
Video Game First: Call Of Duty Gets Premiere 10:17am UK, Tuesday November 10, 2009 Elizabeth Scott, Sky News Online
The first ever premiere for a computer game has taken place in London's Leicester Square.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 hosted a star-studded event ahead of the game going on sale. Rather than the traditional red used for film premieres, the carpet was camouflage in colour. Presenter Vernon Kay hosted the cinema screening and actors who lent their voices to the game attended, including Kevin McKidd from Grey's Anatomy and former Eastenders and The Bill actor Bill Murray. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is expected to be the fastest selling video game of all time. An estimated three million copies will be sold in the UK alone in its first week which would beat any box office film or music album sale.
While the game, developed by Infinity Ward, has received praise for its graphics and seamless action sequences it has also been condemned for being too violent. In one scene the player must decide whether to kill unarmed civilians at a Russian airport in order to infiltrate a terrorist group. The makers have included checkpoints in the game which allow players to move past some of the more brutal episodes.
Some MPs have criticised Call of Duty and the gaming industry on the day of its release. Labour's Keith Vaz said: "It contains such scenes of brutality that even manufacturers have put in warnings within the game. It's not about censorship, it's about protecting our children." Modern Warfare 2 is the sixth game in the Call Of Duty franchise, which was first launched in 2003, and has spawned several spin-off games. The latest instalment continues the same storyline as it predecessor. Players must hunt down Makarov, a Russian terrorist who has implicated the United States in a criminal act.
US stars including rapper 50 Cent have also provided voiceovers for this latest edition.
New McKidd on the virtual block 25 October 2009 By Martyn McLaughlin
SCOTTISH actor Kevin McKidd has taken the lead role in a video game that is expected to sell 11 million copies by the end of the year. In little over a fortnight's time, fans will enjoy the latest chapter in the story of a grizzled Scottish captain in the SAS. John "Soap" MacTavish may not be a name familiar to movie audiences, but to a worldwide fan base he is the protagonist
in one of the most popular video game series in history. Next month he returns in the sequel Modern Warfare 2, which is expected to be the biggest-selling game of all time, voiced by McKidd, of Trainspotting fame.
The Elgin-born actor, who has recently starred as Dr Owen Hunt in Grey's Anatomy, and Lucius Vorenus in Rome, tops a voice cast that also includes the rapper 50 Cent. McKidd is the latest in a long line of film and television actors to lend their voices to video game characters. Others include Kiefer Sutherland in Call of Duty; Ray Liotta in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; Dennis Hopper in Black Dahlia; Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man and Laurence Fishburne and Mickey Rourke in True Crime: NYC.
The score for the game has been created by Hans Zimmer, the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer behind major Hollywood films such as The Dark Knight, Gladiator and The Lion King.
Analysts expect the game, which is to be released on 10 November, to sell 11 million copies by the end of the year, making its publisher Activision around £490m. In the US alone, more than 2.3 million gamers have already pre-ordered copies. The previous game in the series, which charts US and British military efforts to defeat a Russian ultra-nationalist group, has sold more than 13 million copies since going on sale in 2007.
It will not be the first time McKidd has lent his gravelly tones to a game. He provided the voice of Jezz Torrent, the singer in fictional Scottish hard rock band Love Fist, in the Grand Theft Auto series.
Exclusive: Greys Anatomy actor Kevin McKidd to star in game of the year
TV HUNK Kevin McKidd has landed one of the biggest acting parts of the year - but it will never be screened.
The Elgin-born actor has been confirmed as the major voice star of new console game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - tipped to be the biggest-seller of all time.
Grey's Anatomy star McKidd, 36, will play the part of Captain 'Soap' McTavish in the game, which is due for a pre-Christmas release in the UK.
Lucrative Makers Infinity Ward have already courted controversy by pricing it at £55 - £10 more than the usual price for a console game.
McKidd, who shot to fame in Trainspotting and recently starred in BBC hit Rome, heads the voice cast which also includes ex-EastEnders villain Craig Fairbrass.
Infinity Ward boss Robert Bowling confirmed the news on Twitter.
He wrote: "It's all coming together! Kevin McKidd, Craig Fairbrass, Barry Pepper, Keith David & Glenn Morshower's final voice work going into the game."
One source said: "Games are increasingly lucrative for actors.
"It is a huge industry and it's getting bigger."
McKidd also did voice work for Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. source: Sunday Mail
This Week in Scottish Entertainment / Actor News by Saba I. August 25, 2009 Kevin McKidd cast in Modern Warfare 2 Kevin McKidd has signed on for Infinity Ward’s next Call of Duty game. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is predicted to be the best-selling console game of all time. The news of Kevin McKidd’s involvement with “final voice work” for the game was announced via Infinity Ward director of communications Robert Bowling’s Twitter. McKidd was also the voice of Jezz Torrent in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. source: Dear Scotland
Modern Warfare 2 casts Keith David, Kevin McKidd By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot Posted Aug 20, 2009 PT Halo 3 actor, Rome star join Saving Private Ryan's Barry Pepper on board Infinity Ward's next Call of Duty game; actor Craig Fairbrass' return may shed light on plot.
August began with reports that rapper 50 Cent had joined the voice cast of the oft-retitled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Today, Infinity Ward director of communications Robert Bowling revealed several more actors who will appear in the highly anticipated sequel, which GameStop executives are predicting could be the best-selling console game of all time.
Via his Twitter feed, which he also used to unveil the $150 Prestige Edition's night-vision goggle pack-in and Mad Catz MW2-branded controller--Bowling today confirmed that the "final voice work" of five actors is currently being put into the game, due out November 10 worldwide.
First up is Keith David, a familiar voice to many gamers. David lent his distinctive baritone to the Arbiter in Halo 2 and 3, Captain Anderson in Mass Effect, gang boss Julius in Saints Row 1 and 2, Lord Vekk in Lords of EverQuest, Vhailor in PlaneScape: Torment, and Decker in the original Fallout. A stage veteran and prolific character actor, David also appeared in such films as Requiem for a Dream, They Live, and Platoon.
Bowling also confirmed Modern Warfare 2 will feature Kevin McKidd, who was the voice of Love Fist rocker Jezz Torrent in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, his only prior game appearance. The Scottish actor's breakthrough role was the doomed junkie Tommy in the cult film Trainspotting, but he has since made a bigger mark on television. He played fallen centurion Lucius Vorenus in HBO's lavish series Rome, was the lead in the canceled NBC sci-fi show Journeyman, and currently has a recurring part on Grey's Anatomy, though he does not appear in Ubisoft's game adaption.
Also on board is Barry Pepper, who most recently voiced Alex Mercer in another Activision game, top June title Prototype. The Canadian actor is best-known for his role as the bible-quoting American sniper in Saving Private Ryan, and also appeared in the war epics We Were Soldiers and Flags of our Fathers. Pepper also has the dubious distinction of being the lead in Battlefield Earth, regarded as one of the worst films ever made.
Also on the voice roster is American character actor Glenn Morshower, who was last seen in the summer blockbuster Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. Though he's appeared in nearly 150 television shows and films, his highest-profile role was the secret service agent Aaron Pierce in several seasons of 24. He reprised the part in the 2006 game adaptation of the Fox television series.
The last name Bowling revealed is the least-known--but might have the most information about Modern Warfare 2's plot. British thespian Craig Fairbrass is also appearing in the game, two years after he voiced the SAS commando Gaz in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Problem is, Gaz was shot in the head with a Desert Eagle towards the end of the fourteenfold-platinum actioner, meaning his appearance may be a flashback--or Gaz had the good fortune to survive a high-caliber head wound. source: Gamespot