Exclusive: An Interview With 'A Working Man' Creator Chuck Dixon

Chuck Dixon is a prolific comic book creator having created the infamous Batman villain Bane and crafting the popular Knightfall storyline for DC Comics. He’s also had lengthy runs on the Punisher, Robin, Batgirl, and helped create the Birds of Prey. He even did a comic book adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as well as adaptations of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time. But he’s also done yeoman’s work with novels crafting an entire time-traveling science fiction series in Bad Times as well as his vigilante thriller series Levon Cade, which is being adapted into a film starring Jason Statham and titled A Working Man.

Dixon spoke with Fandom Pulse about the upcoming film, his relationship with Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions, which is producing A Working Man, and his views on wokeness following the second election of President Donald Trump and how he sees it affecting Hollywood.

Fandom Pulse (FP): You published Levon’s Trade over a decade ago, was there any particular reason why Balboa Productions wanted to adapt this first novel of your series?

Chuck Dixon: I sent both my Levon Cade books and my Bad Times series to Sly and he liked both and discussed with me plans to make either films or a series of both of them. There was, for a moment, a suggestion from him that I recast Bad Time with the Expendables for a feature film. Time traveling Expendables!

Anyhow, Sly decided Levon was the way to go as it wouldn't require a large budget. It's not hard to see why the books appealed to Sly. Levon's the kind of hero he's played so many times and the books are pure action with an emphasis on fast pace and rapid character development.

FP: Do you know why they decided to retitle it A Working Man instead of Levon’s Trade?

Dixon: No idea. The marketing department tested some titles and this one was chosen from the results, I imagine. A shame since the Levon books have the sequel titles built into them.

FP: Is there a driving philosophy behind Balboa Productions and the films they are making? Are there any specific themes they are trying to touch on in their films and stories?

Dixon: Their main philosophy is to work as far outside the Hollywood studio system as possible. Sly and his partners want to make mid-budget action flicks without interference from anyone. He's been doing this a while and has a keen understanding of what audiences want to see.

FP: Box office projections look really good for A Working Man, do you think this type of film is a model the rest of Hollywood can follow?

Dixon: Sure. A bankable star in the lead of a movie that doesn't haven't a blockbuster budget and doesn't need one. All advance word looks promising for a big opening.
More than ever in its history, the American movie business needs movies that earn. They are hemorrhaging money and deep in debt after years of mega-blockbusters turned out to be mega-bombs. Look at the failure of the recent Captain America movie and Mickey 17. They're looking to mid-budget actioners and horror movies to save them.

FP: President Donald Trump recently said woke was dead during his address to a joint session of Congress. Do you believe woke is dead?