Comic Book Films & TV

[Benjamin]

I wasn't trying to argue that point, though. Although now that I think about it, I don't know why I opened my mouth in the first place

Also, I'm speaking for myself here, but I didn't like her in any of the Fast movies she was in, I thought she was pretty bad at acting and I'm scared that she'll screw up one of my favourite comic book characters (like how people hate January Jones' Emma Frost). That's most probably why I reacted so badly to it, as I would trust the role of Wonder Woman in someone I have more faith in.

[Szumi]

I don't even want to get started on Gal "who the fuck" Gadot being given arguably the biggest female superhero role there is. Just... ugh.

I don't get this? The Gadot casting isn't any worse than casting Christian Bale as Batman or Henry Cavill as Superman. Like I said, it fits DC's MO for the past 10 years. Plus, she's arguably more well known at this point than either of those two were anyways since she's already been part of a big franchise.

Outside of that, I'm going to continue fuming over here silently over the internet's overzealous assumptions of the worst before there's any firm details.

Gal Gadot is not more famous than Christian Bale pre-Batman Begins.

Point to me a movie in Bale's filmography pre-Batman that is as popular and wide-reaching as the Fast franchise. American Psycho is probably the most well-known of the group and that's a cult classic but nothing more than that. Beyond that, you have a lot of supporting roles and bombs like Equilibrium and Reign of Fire. He was not a known commodity at the time.

Newsies. Boom, roasted.

[GoGo Yubari]

Both DC and Marvel do it. Chris Hemsworth was nobody before he got cast as Thor.

[Colly]

I don't want to get into a debate about it, but I think that all the accumulated roles that Bale (American Psycho, Reign of Fire, Machinist, Shaft, heck, he was the star of Empire of the Sun) played definitely made him a more recognizable face than Gal Gadot, who was not the star in any of the Fast films.

Don't forget Pocahontas.

Hemsworth was in Home & Away, Ledger had already set the precedent for Home & Away to comic book movie superstardom.

[livid]

I wasn't trying to argue that point, though. Although now that I think about it, I don't know why I opened my mouth in the first place

Also, I'm speaking for myself here, but I didn't like her in any of the Fast movies she was in, I thought she was pretty bad at acting and I'm scared that she'll screw up one of my favourite comic book characters (like how people hate January Jones' Emma Frost). That's most probably why I reacted so badly to it, as I would trust the role of Wonder Woman in someone I have more faith in.

I mean, I love the Fast movies but it's not like they're the epitome of high quality scripts so it's not like she's given a ton to work with. I think calling into question her lack of experience and questionable ability is fair but I'm not going to say she can't act because she didn't in the Fast movies because well, nobody is really acting in those.

Both DC and Marvel do it. Chris Hemsworth was nobody before he got cast as Thor.

Eh, him and Hiddleston (I guess we'll just lump him in with the rest of the group) are really the only ones that applies to, though. RDJ, Norton, Ruffalo, Johansson, Renner all go without saying and while Chris Evans wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire (pun intended!) with his ability, he was still fairly recognizable from the Fantastic Four movies.

[LL!]

Samuel L Jackson was virtually unrecognizable before getting his role.

[Maxx]

Doc Ock and friends.

This seriously needs to be a sitcom of some sort.

Try a comic called "The Superior Foes of Spider-Man"

[=BK=]

Loved Man of Steel. My new favorite Superhero movie.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Sony has revealed its big plans to expand the Spider-Man franchise into a larger movie universe, officially announcing spinoff movies for Venom and The Sinister Six.

Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, Ed Solomon, and Drew Goddard will collaborate on overseeing the “developing story over several films” says Sony, saying they “have formed a franchise brain trust to expand the universe for the brand and to develop a continuous tone and thread throughout the films,” in conjunction with producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach and director Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

Kurtzman & Orci & Solomon will write Venom, with Kurtzman directing, while Goddard will write and possibly direct Sinister Six.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/12/13/the-amazing-spider-man-spinoffs-venom-and-the-sinister-six-announced-by-sony

[Maxx]

It will be interesting to see how a film starring a group of villains does commercially.

[Gabriel]

I'm not sure if it's a film that actually uses them as protagonists though.

It is entirely possible that it will still be a Spider-Man film, set in the same "universe", though not Andrew Garfield. It seems like Sony is setting it up so that the series is more like the comics, and doesn't rely heavily on any one star to continue going.

[livid]

Not only will he star and produce it but Joseph Gordon-Levitt may direct an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Sandman, as well.

While that's pretty surprising, studios hiring cheaper indie directors to handle their big tentpole films has become a growing trend in Hollywood.

[Skummy]

Both DC and Marvel do it. Chris Hemsworth was nobody before he got cast as Thor.

Yeah, and I would much rather this. You want to watch the movie thinking that Chris Hemsworth is Thor, and it works, because you don't really know him as anything else.

Outside of the best actors around, there's always the danger that you won't buy into a certain actor as a certain character, because of your preconceptions about said actor. I would rather see an unknown get an iconic part than a mega-star.

That said, I have no idea who the woman cast as Wonder Woman is, so no idea if she'd be appropriate or not - I'm more concerned that Hollywood writers and directors will struggle with Wonder Woman than that the actress will, quite frankly.

Not only will he star and produce it but Joseph Gordon-Levitt may direct an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Sandman, as well.

While that's pretty surprising, studios hiring cheaper indie directors to handle their big tentpole films has become a growing trend in Hollywood.

I don't think Sandman's going to be a "big tentpole film". As exciting as it is, unless it gets a huge amount of hype, it's not going to be a blockbuster. The franchise hasn't been big business for a while, and I expect it won't mean much of anything to most movie-goers - plus, it's been in and out of development hell for years.

The more exciting part, for me, is that Gaiman is apparently involved in this one, finally.

[livid]

It will be, at least to an extent. Warner Bros. is hard up to find another established property they can mine as a potential franchise (their inability to get Justice League off the ground + Harry Potter ending) and they're going to throw a lot of stuff at the wall to see what sticks. It may not be as big as say Man of Steel, but it will probably push past a $75 million budget and be slotted in late Summer, with an eye of expanding that to more if it does well enough.

[Skummy]

Really? Sandman? If that comes anywhere near a $75 million budget, I'll eat a hat of your choice.

[Maxx]

I imagine there's going to be a shit ton of CGI.

[livid]

Really? Sandman? If that comes anywhere near a $75 million budget, I'll eat a hat of your choice.

I'm curious how much you think comic book adaptations (or movies in general, for that matter) typically cost to make because I was being pretty conservative with that estimate, perhaps even too conservative. I mean, the last two adaptations of Gaiman's work have been Coraline ($60 million) and Stardust ($80 million) and those don't even have the DC name attached to them.

[livid]

And speaking of Warner Bros., they have their eye on Joaquin Phoenix to presumably play Lex Luthor in Batman/Superman.

He's good friends with the Afflecks so it wouldn't be that surprising if he said yes.

[Maxx]

Not a bad get, but I would have preferred Bryan Cranston.

[Szumi]

Just please put John Glover in for a Lionel Luthor cameo, and i'll be happy.