Dwayne Johnson cast as Doc Savage

[Mr. Adventure]

Well, that's like just like your opinion, man. Seriously though, if he can pull it off more power to him. Apparently, I'm the only one who has a shadow of doubt about it.

 

[TwoJakes]

I loved George Peppard in the role.

 

[Jedi_Master]

cousin actually.

How about his brother, Randy?

 

[Nerys Myk]

How exactly are geniuses suposed to act? Quirky motor mouths like Stark? Speak in a German accent like Einstein? Sport a pipe and glasses like many fictional scientists? Rattle off jargon like the Professor on Gilligan's Island? Be a lovable eccentric like Doc Brown?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Dolph Lundgren is an actual genius and I bet people frequently underestimated his intelligence at first glance because of the big dumb jock stereotype.

 

[theenglish]

I hope this does really well at the box office. Not because I'm a fan (but prepared to become one!) but because I still want new Shadow and Phantom movies. ...And we all know how Hollywood works.

We're all thinking it--shared universe!

 

[Kor]

I always had the impression that Doc Savage was literally supposed to be the same inhuman hue as bronze. With the similarly colored hair and the gold-flecked eyes, could that indicate some kind of early genetic experimentation?

Kor

 

[Captaindemotion]

I'm sold on '30s pulp' and 'Shane Black.' I'm not a huge fan of Johnson but I do find him likeable and watchable. Just take my money already.

 

[Saga]

How about his brother, Randy?

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, he certainly looks the part, if they give him some hair. I'm more concerned about him referring to Doc as a "fucking hilarious weirdo." I hope this isn't going to be a parody.

 

[Kor]

Yes, and not the comedic approach a la "The Green Hornet."

Kor

 

[Mudd]

How exactly are geniuses suposed to act? Quirky motor mouths like Stark? Speak in a German accent like Einstein? Sport a pipe and glasses like many fictional scientists? Rattle off jargon like the Professor on Gilligan's Island? Be a lovable eccentric like Doc Brown?

Obviously they speak in the flat electronic tones produced by a computer as they wheel about in their chairs.

Really, this part suits Johnson as the Terminator suited Ahnuld.

 

[JD]

Yes, and not the comedic approach a la "The Green Hornet."

Kor

Most of Shane Black's stuff does have a fair amount of humor in it, but I don't think any of them are outright comedies.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

From Wikipedia:
Doc Savage's real name was Clark Savage, Jr. He was a physician, scientist, adventurer, inventor, explorer, researcher, and, as revealed in The Polar Treasure, a musician. A team of scientists assembled by his father deliberately trained his mind and body to near-superhuman abilities almost from birth, giving him great strength and endurance, a photographic memory, a mastery of the martial arts, and vast knowledge of the sciences. Doc is also a master of disguise and an excellent imitator of voices.

I just don't picture The Rock as this type of character (aside from great strength and endurance) and certainly not as the most perfect choice from actors of our era.

Though I have only seen previews from Ballers the way he looks on there I could almost see it pulled off. I was just hoping for some enlightenment on what people were seeing that made them feel he was a good fit for the character other than his physique.

I didn't really have any reaction at all as I find him a generally solid actor and am completely unfamiliar with the character, but this description does make me wonder a little bit, specifically the part about him being a master of disguise.

Rock's got a reasonable range, but I can't remember a single role where I've ever seen him and not immediately thought 'the Rock', no matter what he was playing. For most roles that's not a major problem, but if this master of disguise thing is actually important, then I'm not sure he can pull this off.

Then again, considering his origins and the over the top nature of most of his roles, it could just be a question of his branding. Maybe he does have the ability to go farther than that and I haven't seen it yet (that was certainly true for Heath Ledger being cast in the Dark Knight).

 

[The Lensman]

Hopefully they forego the severe widow's peak hairstyle that James Bama always gave the character on his cover paintings. I'd prefer a shaved headed Doc Savage rather than a wig on Dwayne Johnson that would make him look like he's wearing Magneto's helmet.

James Bama's version of Doc Savage was my introduction to the character from a visual standpoint. One of my favorite pastimes in my teens was frequenting the one book store within walking distance, and it had a crap ton of those old Doc Savage series, as well as stuff like Mack Bolan, Perry Rhodan, etc. Several years ago I saw a reprint of pulp era Doc Savage and was amazed at how different Bama did him. As is my wont, I tend to gravitate towards original versions and that's how I view Doc now. I enjoy The Rock as an actor (never watched wrestling), but you don't need to match the Bama version of Doc to be faithful. Here's how an entire generation originally viewed Doc Savage:

Doc had some muscle on him, but he's not bulked up and because of that, it's easier to picture this Doc as a master of disguise. From an casting standpoint, you don't need to worry about having some guy with a Superman physique either.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

My mediocre Photoshopping skills aside, yeah, I think Johnson has the physique and looks for the part. The guy has tons of charisma and always comes across as very intelligent, so I'm not sure why people are making the assumption he can't play a genius. And he's not relegated to just playing jock or action roles (though the latter applies here), as his comedic turn as a gay bodyguard and wannabe actor/country music singer in Be Cool can attest, among other films.

I didn't even think of that SNL sketch, but yeah, they certainly made the look, even the wig, work.

I'm pretty excited. I've only read two Doc Savage novels so far, but I loved those. And Black and Johnson are really great, as well. I just hope it's set in the 1930s.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Master of disguise works well in books but rarely onscreen. In the books, Sherlock Holmes was always passing himself off as a gypsy, Italian sailor or whatever but onscreen, it just looks like Jeremy Brett or whoever in a comedy wig. Ditto The Saint, where Val Kilmer's Simon Templar was supposed to fool people with his myriad disguises but the handful of people who saw it were shouting at the screen 'Oh come on, how can you not recognise that mouth? FFS, he's even wearing his Jim Morrison wig again!!!' So given that Mr Johnson is even more distinctive than Kilmer, I hope they'll just skip this aspect of the character.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

My fear with a Doc Savage movie is that it'll turn out feeling derivative, since so many creators have cribbed from his pulps over the years. The Fortress of Solitude, his Crime College, the bickering back and forth of his group of assistants, his gadgets, his over-the-top villains -- it'll seem like he's ripping off Superman, the Fantastic Four, or James Bond rather than existing years before all of them.

I remember when the 1980's King Solomon's Mine was released trying to explain to people that Alain Quartermain was not a rip off of Indiana Jones.

Strong points, as too many--especially in Generation X - forward were so ignorant of history that they believed the torrential flood of sticky-fingered "inspiration" in Lucas & Spielberg films were original--even to the point of ignoring the filmmakers when they constantly referred to what they grabbed.

Hopefully they forego the severe widow's peak hairstyle that James Bama always gave the character on his cover paintings. I'd prefer a shaved headed Doc Savage rather than a wig on Dwayne Johnson that would make him look like he's wearing Magneto's helmet.

Speaking of Bama, a Doc Savage movie as visually rich and otherworldly as his--and Bob Larkin's paintings would be absolutely fantastic.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Is there anything that Doc Savage can't do?

(This is not an insult, I'm genuinely curious.)

 

[BigJake]

Why? Because he's muscular? I've liked The Rock for years before he hit the silver screen but I don't see what about him says "Doc Savage".

He made his bones as one of the most legendarily articulate and fast-on-his-feet performers in professional wrestling. These are qualities useful for selling the mental as well as physical prowess of a character. I'm amazed that this requires explaining to professed fans of The Rock.