The much-waiting King Cobra is out this weekend. So we though we’d come up with a quick guide to dramatic lead up to the release, from the Brent Corrigan‘s totally understandable objections to Franco’s even deeper dive into gay life.
1. Boos From Brent
King Cobra chronicles the porn career of Brent Corrigan (nee Sean Paul Lockhart), specifically focusing on his connection to the murdered adult film mogul Bryan Kocis. Although Corrigan deigned to allow the use of his real name in the movie, he has also been vocal in his criticism to the project, evidenced by this tweet from September: “I gave them permission to use my name’s but explicitly made it clear that their story was heinous & not sanctioned.” If you ask us, it is a shame James Franco will likely make more money from this movie thant the subject. It’s not like adult stars own their work either.
Related The 5 Lives Of Sean Paul Lockhart, AKA Brent Corrigan
2. Gay-for-Pay Franco
Long time queer tease James Franco double teams this film as both a producer and an actor, portraying Joseph Kerekes, who, with his boyfriend and partner-in-crime Harlow Cuadra, murdered Kocis in 2007. Arguably, this may be be Franco’s gayest movie yet. And for a Hollywood star who’s oeuvre includes Milk, Interior. Leather Bar, and I Am Michael, that’s saying something.
Related Sausage Party And 9 More Ways Jame Franco Is Good With The D
3. Everything’s Coming Up Boogie Nights
Christian Slater, who plays “Stephen”, a pseudonym for Kocis, compares King Cobra to a certain Broadway musical. “Always in the back of my mind, there was Gypsy,” Slater said in a recent Entertainment Weekly interview, invoking the the tale of Gypsy Rose Lee, a young girl exploited by her overbearing stage mother, Mama Rose, in order to climb the ladder of the burlesque adult entertainment industry. Slater also likened the project to Boogie Nights and Bob Fosse’s Star 80. That’s good company, and why not?
Related: Brent Corrigan Thinks James Franco’s King Cobra Demonstrates Contempt For Queer Culture
4. An Actor Prepares
Some actors prepare their character from the inside out. Garrett Clayton, who portrays Corrigan, prepared from the booty up. “The makeup artist is painting my ass, ” said Clayton in a recent interview, “and the AD is like, ‘We’re losing light!’ And I’m like, ‘This is gonna project about 40 feet high, and I’m gonna see it for the rest of my life. So let’s get it right.’” Stanislavsky would be so proud.
Related: Shht! King Cobra Star Garrett Clayton Wants To Keep His Sexuality Private, Okay?
5. Not PG-13
One of Corrigan’s biggest criticisms of the film is that Clayton isn’t jail bait-y enough. “I was 17-21 in the years the screenplay spans.” he tweeted. “I looked much younger. He doesn’t embody [Bryan’s] preference for not legal boys.”
Related: Brent Corrigan Blasts Hollywood For Bastardizing His Life, Cashed That Check All The Same
6. Mommy Queerest
If Luke Perry gracing the cover of AARP Magazine didn’t already make you feel old as hell, Alicia Silverstone, notable as quintessential 90’s teenager Cher from Clueless, plays Corrigan’s mom in this film.
Related: Alicia Silverstone Was Clueless About Her Gay Boyfriend