‘Man on Fire’: The Biggest Differences Between the Netflix Series, Movies & Book
Netflix’s newest action-thriller series packs a lot of surprises, despite being the third adaptation of its source material.
Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy, the new, seven-episode series is based on the story world established in A.J. Quinnell’s novel series but features some key differences between the source material and the two film adaptations of Man on Fire, both in 1987 (with Scott Glenn in the lead) and then in 2004 (Denzel Washington).
Here’s a look at the major changes to Man on Fire in the new series. Warning: Spoilers about all seven episodes of Man on Fire ahead!
Man on Fire, Streaming Now, Netflix
The main character's name
Like the 2004 adaptation, the main character’s name here is John Creasy, but the character was originally called Marcus in the book and Christian in the 1987 film version.
The setting
The new Man on Fire series takes place mostly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The book and first film adaptation, though, take place in Naples, Italy, while the 2004 version moves the action to Mexico City. Perhaps as a nod to the latter, the series begins with an operation-gone-wrong in Mexico City and ends with Creasy potentially being pulled back there.
Creasy's charge
As with all versions of Man on Fire thus far, Creasy takes on the task of protecting a young girl whose life is in danger. Here, it’s Poe Rayburn (Billie Boullet), the daughter of his friend Ray (Bobby Cannavale), who witnessed the explosion and collapse of her high-rise apartment building with her entire family — and hundreds of other people — inside. She’s then targeted by the people responsible for the bombing to sew up loose ends.
The previous versions were girls that Creasy was (reluctantly) hired to protect: In the book, it was Pinta Balletto, the daughter of a wealthy silk producer; in the 1987 version, it was Samantha “Sam” Balletto, also the daughter of a wealthy man who is kidnapped; and in the 2004 iteration, it was Guadalupe “Lupita” Ramos a.k.a. Pita (Dakota Fanning).
The job
The series is the first iteration that features Creasy becoming a bodyguard to the girl of his own volition. Whereas he was hired to do so in the prior versions, in this one, he chooses to do so after what happens to her family, out of friendship and duty to Ray.
Man on Fire's villain
In the book, it’s the mafia who kidnaps Pinta and, ultimately, sexually assaults and murders her; however, her father, Ettore, also had a hand in it by helping stage the kidnapping as an insurance scam. The first movie also features the mob as the primary antagonist — though the victim survives — and the second screen iteration features a gang of kidnappers led by “The Voice,” who, it turns out, was hired to conduct the kidnapping by the girl’s father and his lawyer.
In the new Man on Fire, though, the corruption goes all the way to the top of the Brazilian government and beyond, as an upcoming election year prompts a terrorist attack on the building with Rayburn and his family inside, and Poe’s survival is a problem for some very powerful people — including Creasy’s own trusted associate Henry Tappen (Scoot McNairy).
Creasy's backstory
The series opens with Creasy’s backstory, as we learn he was once a hotshot CIA operative who watched as his entire team was ambushed during an operation in Mexico City, while he was in charge. His guilt over the losses drives him to alcoholism, a life of solitude, and, ultimately, a suicide attempt.
In the book, the former French Foreign Legion and mercenary was burned out and depressed, which caused him to leave his work. The 1987 version of Creasy was a former Navy SEAL and CIA officer from California who suffered from the combat horrors he witnessed in conflicts across the world. And in the 2004 version, Creasy is a former Force-Recon Marine and CIA officer who also grappled with guilt over his past.
Does Creasy die?
Though he is badly injured in the effort to protect Poe from her attackers, Creasy is shown alive and well in the final episode, still standing guard over Poe. However, he’s soon invited by Director Moncrief (Paul Ben-Victor) to return to service at the CIA.
The book and first film also showed Creasy surviving, though everyone around him thought he was dead; the second adaptation had a grimmer fate, however, as Creasy died of his injuries sustained while rescuing Pita.
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I didn’t know about a 1987 movie. Does it have the same title? And where can I watch it?