So is the pressure on Superman?

[Timby]

Superman wrote:

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As I pointed out, Johns was Donner's assistant.

Which means ... well, nothing, really. Being Donner's gofer says nothing about anything.

He also wrote for the Blade TV series

Which was absolute shit.

and he'll be introducing The Legion of Superheroes to Smallville.

I'm failing to see the relevance, here.

I'm sure a man of his talent can write a screenplay.

Well, I'm failing to think of any comic writer who has successfully made the jump into writing movies, Frank Miller aside, and outside of David Benioff and William Monahan, I can't even really think of many novelists who have found work as screenwriters. The media work in entirely different dynamics, and just because a guy can craft a comic story doesn't mean he understands anything about screenwriting.

If Warner Brothers is to produce another Superman movie, I would think it much more important to have a creative team well-versed in film production, not in comic development.

[The Old Mixer]

Superman wrote:

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and he'll be introducing The Legion of Superheroes to Smallville.

IT'S...ABOUT...TIME...!!!

[Lapis Exilis]

T'Baio wrote:

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Warner's wants another Superman film, they're just not sure how. But I don't think they'd be looking to The Dark Knight for inspiration. Superman Returns was as brooding as I ever thought I'd see Superman, and it didn't work. I think they'd look more to Iron Man, as it definitely had more of the lighter tone they should be going for in a Superman movie.

Perhaps TDK will give them a clue. It works because not because it's a great superhero story, but because it is a quintessential Batman story. Just like Iron Man and Spider-man worked because they captured the essence and tone of those particular characters. Where they keep going wrong with Superman is in not trusting the simple core of the character. That's what made Superman: The Movie work. It is truly amazing to me that they can't get the most straight-forward superhero right... because he's straight-forward.

[nx1701g]

I think of anything it puts more pressure on a Spider-Man 4 rather than anything else. You would think Marvel would want to take their current flagship character (and most successful movie franchise) and take it up against the Dark Knight.

[T'Baio]

nx1701g wrote:

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You would think Marvel would want to take their current flagship character (and most successful movie franchise) and take it up against the Dark Knight.

Marvel does not own the cinematic rights to Spider-Man...Sony does.

[T'Baio]

Stone_Cold_Sisko wrote:

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But when you see endless drek like fantastic four, daredevil, this, that, the reputation of "comic book movies" are in my opinion generally deserved, sadly.

Then why do dramas get so much respect? 'Cause I've seen a hell of a lot of shitty dramas.

[sidious618]

JKTim wrote:

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Well, I'm failing to think of any comic writer who has successfully made the jump into writing movies, Frank Miller aside, and outside of David Benioff and William Monahan, I can't even really think of many novelists who have found work as screenwriters.

If you're only talking movies then J. Michael Stracznyski (Demon Night, Othersyde and Tribulations) and Neil Gaiman. If you're including TV then Paul Cornell (countless Doctor Who books which were usually fantastic), George R. R. Martin, Neil Gaiman again and countless others.

[Timby]

sidious618 wrote:

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If you're only talking movies then J. Michael Stracznyski (Demon Night, Othersyde and Tribulations) and Neil Gaiman. If you're including TV then Paul Cornell (countless Doctor Who books which were usually fantastic), George R. R. Martin, Neil Gaiman again and countless others.

I was speaking more in reference to making the jump to movies, not television, but thanks. (How in the hell did I forget Straczynski? I'm really looking forward to Changeling.)

[Galactus]

I can only think the reason comic writers or novelist haven't made the jump to writing screenplays is because they are not allowed, not because they don't have the ability. To be honest writing screenplays is a lot easier than writing a book. In this age of specialization you are generally allowed to only do one thing until you make it big then you are allowed to do whatever you want.

Doesn't Steve Martin write both books and screenplays as well as anything else he wants?

Why would be the pressure be on Spiderman 4? Spiderman 3 made almost 900 million worldwide. Does TDK have another 300 million in it?

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

TDK may well have another $300 million in it. It's only in the opening phase of its international release, with a lot of territories where it hasn't been released at all yet.

Spider-Man 4 will have a lot of pressure on it, not so much because of anything to do with TDK, but because the box office for a fourth Spidey outing may well drop quite substantially from the previous grosses that the series has delivered.

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

T'Baio wrote:

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Then why do dramas get so much respect? 'Cause I've seen a hell of a lot of shitty dramas.

I dont think its the same thing because there's such a small sample size of superhero movies. there are SO many dramas that have been going since, basically, film as a medium. i can literally count on one hand the superhero movies that I think approach truly great films. on one hand, in the entire history of film. You'll may disagree, but i think there's a TON of great dramas out there, even if there are more shitty ones.

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

Superman wrote:

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I think the perfect guy to write it is DC Comics's biggest star writer, Geoff Johns. He was Donner's assistant and is a hell of a writer whose "Last Son" arc should have been Superman Returns. Had it been, it would've been a tremendous, rousing, epic TDK type success, and we'd be waiting for a third Superman film now, not hoping one will get made someday.

Johns's arc had Clark exploring fatherhood through adoption (perfect considering his own history), a building of Kryptonian history, and not only Zod and his pals, but an entire army of rogue criminal Kryptonians from The Phantom Zone.

Wasn't this co-written by Richard Donner himself?
I'm intrigued by it, i've heard of it before but knew it had obscene delays. I might swing by Borders and take a look-see.
And Superman getting an essentially adopted son (i know a few spoilers just from general internet buzz, but i wont say anything about them) just makes so much more sense if you must have Superman as a father.

[davejames]

I don't think the pressure is any greater than it was. Clearly the next Superman movie has to perform better than the last one, and be much more of the "crowd pleaser" that the studios are looking for, but it's not going to be considered a failure if it doesn't do TDK-type numbers.

If anyone is up to the challenge though, I think it's Singer. No matter what your opinion of SR, he's one of the few superhero directors out there besides Nolan who could be considered a real artist. While other directors are simply making flashy, live-action cartoons, Nolan and Singer are actually trying to bring something interesting and complex to the table.

[Captain Craig]

Galactus wrote:

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Ok now how many super hero movies do you think we will get now? I can see Venom, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Moon Knight, Nighthawk, Catwoman, Green Arrow get made ASAP to cash in on the superhero craze like everyone is cashing in on the magic craze. Space and traditional sci fi could be dead if Star Trek doesn't perform next year.

To cash in on the superhero craze?
You state it as if superhero movies just became big this year or last.

We will get more comic/superhero movies and this summers success only ensures we get more but the recent successful glut is 10years old now. The 90's had some but they were lacking in success.

The cashing in started about 2002/2003, every success since then has only sustained the trend.

[Superman]

Stone_Cold_Sisko wrote:

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Wasn't this co-written by Richard Donner himself?
I'm intrigued by it, i've heard of it before but knew it had obscene delays. I might swing by Borders and take a look-see.
And Superman getting an essentially adopted son (i know a few spoilers just from general internet buzz, but i wont say anything about them) just makes so much more sense if you must have Superman as a father.

Yes, Donner co-wrote it. He has stated that Last Son was in fact his idea for the Superman 3 he would have made had circumstances allowed.

I highly recommend it. The series was plagued by delays, but you'll have no problem enjoying it in collected form.

\S/