Matell toy figure brought to life in ‘Max Steel’

CEBU, Philippines - The latest teen heartthrob hero rises in the toy-to-movie “Max Steel” based on Mattel’s most popular action figure of the same name.  Starring in the titular role is Ben Winchell, best known for his roles on Disney Channel’s “A.N.T. Farm” and USA’s “Necessary Roughness.”

 Director Stewart Hendler and screenwriter Christopher Yost (who also wrote the screenplay of “Thor: The Dark World”) adapted “Max Steel” for the big screen. “Max Steel” is a live action feature-length origin story that combines identifiable characters, familiar terrestrial settings and innovative use of technology to create a realistic re-interpretation of the traditional superhero film.

 Teenager Max McGrath (Winchell) and his mother (Maria Bello) have recently moved back to Copper Canyon, the town where Max was born and his scientist father died under mysterious circumstances. Adjusting to a new school is not easy for Max, and becomes even more complicated when his body starts to generate strange energy flare-ups that he can’t control. This unpredictable power surge grows too intense for Max to handle and he is forced to distance himself from those around him, including his new friend, Sofia.

 On the brink of fatal combustion, Max is rescued by Steel, a techno-organic extraterrestrial who has been secretly monitoring his progress.  The two discover that when joined together they can control the energy and harness it into superhuman strength – but when apart, neither can survive.

 As these unlikely friends learn to accept their connected fates, they begin to uncover secrets surrounding the death of Max’s father and, digging deeper, find themselves hunted by an unforeseen enemy bent on capturing Max and Steel for a sinister agenda of destruction.  Uncertain who to trust, the two will have to work together to uncover the truth and find a way to defeat the mysterious force threatening their world.

“We wanted Max Steel to be a real teenager, universal in his appeal with his first crush, moving to a new school, being raised by a single mom,” says O’Dowd.

“We wanted a film that would resonate with the audience no matter where they lived – Miami, Topeka, Rome or Caracas. And Stewart’s take on how to tell Max’s story is from that viewpoint. It’s not glossed over.  It’s not something that looks like a typical superhero movie. This is a real teenage boy, living in a real teenage world, who just happens to be a superhero.”

“I love the script,” adds Winchell.  “It has great heart and humor combined with spectacular action and special effects. And me a superhero…it’s every kid’s dream!”

Ana Villafañe stars opposite Winchell as Sofia, Max’s new friend in town. Villafañe found Winchell committed to the project and focused on his character.

“Ben is very similar to Max,” she explains. “So much so that I think he felt a very specific responsibility to tell the story correctly. He had his music and when he went into the zone, you could see it. He just veered off and went exploring and just stayed in his zone, which made perfect sense for Max.”

 “I run into Sofia at school – literally,” recalls Winchell. “I’m on my bike and she hits me with her car and I immediately feel there’s something different about her. Every other time Max has gone to a new school, he’s been lost in the crowd, but Sofia notices him and goes out of her way to help him. There’s this immediate bond between them. Their relationship starts to develop, but then this energy inside of him lights up when they are together. It’s a play on hormones.”

Filled with high-octane action, “Max Steel” is a riveting coming-of-age story identifiable for audiences worldwide.

“We felt the timing was right to bring an exciting, modern-day superhero to the big screen,” says Julia Pistor, production veteran and co-producer of the film. “Mattel sees movies as a way of connecting audiences to their characters, so we set our trailblazing and innovative filmmaking team on a mission to carve a path within this genre.”

“The opportunity to take an existing character and turn it into a live action feature is very exciting,” adds producer O’Dowd. “Max Steel is an origin story and, while the film will have some parallel characters, it’s scripted as an event film geared toward audiences of all ages. As Max is a teenager in the film, younger audiences can look up to him, while teenage audiences can directly relate to him.” (FREEMAN)