Michael Brandt Scores with The Double

First time filmmaker Michael Brandt is no stranger to making movies. As a screenwriter, along with his writing partner Derek Haas, he has written hits such as Wanted, 3:10 to Yuma, and 2 Fast 2 Furious. This month will see the release of Brandt’s first foray behind the camera, directing the political thriller The Double (in theaters September 23rd) starring Richard Gere and Topher Grace.

“Directing was always part of the plan,” Brandt explains. “Writing just seemed like a natural way to get there. After having success as a writer, I just wanted to have more control over what the final movie was going to be.”

In The Double, a retired CIA operative (Gere) is paired with a young FBI agent to unravel the mystery of a senator’s murder, with all signs pointing to a long-sought-after Soviet assassin.

An accomplished editor, Brandt has worked closely in post-production with such heavyweight directors as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Those collaborations, along with looking over the shoulder of the likes of John Singleton, readied the screenwriter to direct.

“What I was most apprehensive about was working with the actors and the crew,” Brandt confesses.

Along with Gere and Grace, Martin Sheen, “True Blood’s” Stephen Moyer, and “House”’s Odette Annable round out the impressive cast.

“For me, the casting came pretty easily,” Brandt recalls. “The response to the script was really strong. Martin Sheen is the nicest guy in the world and the easiest guy to work with. When you have guys like that around, it makes it that much easier. Topher was completely supportive of what I was doing, and Richard is the consummate professional. He knows exactly which lens is on every camera. He knows exactly where his marks are. He knows his lines impeccably. He didn’t make a single mistake through the whole production.”

Influenced by the gritty films of the ’70s, it is no surprise that Brandt and Haas are known for creating action-oriented thrillers.

“Derek and I have always been fans and inspired by the movies of the ’70s: the paranoid, political thrillers like Three Days of the Condor,” Brandt says. “I just love those twists and turns. I think we’re inherently attracted to complicated male relationships. We did that in 3:10 to Yuma and Wanted.

“For us, it’s important to have strong themes but we’re also about entertainment and we want people to walk out of our movies feeling a certain emotional way; feeling happy, feeling excited. We’re both children of the ’80s and all those great summer movies by Spielberg and Zemeckis— those inspired us and there’s no way we can try to do anything else but to make those movies.”

Next for Haas and Brandt will be producing their script for Overdrive, shooting in France this fall, directed by Antonio Negret. “It’s a big con movie and we’re using old European sports cars,” Brandt says with a hint of glee.

He and Derek are also developing a “big firehouse TV show” for Dick Wolf and NBC.

Looking forward to directing again, Brandt hopes that audiences will get caught up in the complex story of The Double.

“I want to entertain people,” Brandt says. “I want people to be interactive with the movie. I want the audience to lean forward and think they know one thing and actually something else happens. Those are my favorite kinds of movies, where you feel like you’re an active participant in trying to figure out the plot.” 􀀀