Green Lantern (2011)

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

I would like it to be a hit. I'm not sure that's in the cards. It certainly looks like something I'm going to enjoy a lot, though.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

Yeah, I'm not expecting it to do well. My suspicion is that, despite fan complaints about the costume and some of the lines, the movie is going to be very earnest in its attempt to be faithful. If so, it may be viewed as a bad movie because of it, though that wouldn't necessarily be the case.

 

[flemm]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

^ I don't really understand that reasoning, mostly because "being faithful" is such a nebulous concept. To what? According to whom?

For whatever reason, there seem to be some bad vibes surrounding this film, but I would hope that these are just red herrings and that the movie is good.

 

[Broccoli]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

I wonder if it is not so much a dig at GL, but at the upcoming Superman, which does have Nolan involved.

No because his quote is they(WB) can't make a good superhero movie UNLESS Nolan is involved. Granted we don't know how his Superman will turn out but the implication is anything that doesn't have Nolan is crap and currently only GL fits that bill for the upcoming slate of comic films from WB.

Allow me to explain further. The previous Superman film wasn't the success that WB wanted it to be. Now, WB has Nolan in charge of the next Superman film. The implication being that, with Nolan's involvement, this Superman film will succeed where the other didn't.

Considering that Nolan was never in consideration to be a part of GL and that the film has have very little footage released and not near release (thereby making public and critical reaction to it nonexistent), it makes his comment, though not impossible, seem unlikely that he is referring to GL specifically.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

The thing is that Green Lantern is very exotic and skiffy in an old-fashioned way - and the trailer looks as if they're being very true to that. I love it, but I also think it may come across as corny and difficult for people to identify with. The big hit superhero movies seem to be those that are the most "grounded" - Nolan's supposedly realistic take on Batman being one example; Iron Man is basically one step beyond James Bond.

 

[flemm]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

Well, I don't think there's any doubt that adapting something like Thor or Green Lantern presents a different and probably greater challenge than something like Batman, Spiderman or Iron Man. Until a film like this works it will remain a question mark, but given the various forms of fantastical and not particularly grounded properties that succeed at the movies, I think these films can succeed if they find the right formula.

But anyway, when I said I don't understand the reasoning that "being faithful" will hurt the movie at the box office, I was referring more to the fact that the movie will seemingly take place on earth for the most part, and the trailer seems like it is going for a similar tone to Iron Man: a basic superhero origin story with a wise-cracking lead who likes to fool around.

So, it strikes me as a bit early to assume that the film hasn't done whatever is necessary to create sufficient "grounding" for general audiences, even though that is an obvious potential problem with a concept like Green Lantern and has been from the beginning.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

I'm not assuming anything. The movie might get lines around the block. I just think that, as you implied, it's a harder "sell" than something like Batman or Iron Man.

I hope it's a great movie that makes enough money to make a few more. I'm just not sure I'd put money on it.

As Dennis said, this type of sci fi isn't all that big right now. But you never know; maybe this movie could nudge the pendulum back the other way.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

As someone with little knowledge of the comic character beyond the obvious, I think it will be a hit. Reynolds is fairly popular, the trailers are selling a feelgood, fast-paced movie in the vein of Iron Man or Spider-man. Superhero movies are still popular, for all the grousing we hear about them.

The advertising will doubtless emphasise that it's from the Superman/ Batman stable (even if none of the actual moviemakers of those franchises are involved) and that it's from the director of Casino Royale. I don't expect it to do The Dark Knight type business but I think it will be a big enough hit to warrant a sequel.

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

I just think that, as you implied, it's a harder "sell" than something like Batman or Iron Man.

I think this here is an example of how quick success can alter the perception of a characters mass appeal. I recall in the months leading up to Iron Man it was a foregone conclusion it would NOT work. Due to a multitude of alleged factors.
Not saying you Spiff specifically but the 'net had a large share of posters who felt IM was doomed to do at best $125m domestic.

Now the exact same compaints are hurled at Thor, GL and to a lesser extent Captain America.

Thor due to its a)mix of genres b)lack of knowledge on Marvel's Thor and a few others.

GL due to its first trailer with questionable CGI(which IM also had but we know how that was tuned up) and out of character humor.

Cap with his 'silly' costume and being a period piece.

At least one if not two of these will break out I think. So that in 4 years we may be saying, " "x" is a harder "sell" than something like Batman, Iron Man or Thor."

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

I was referring more to the fact that the movie will seemingly take place on earth for the most part, and the trailer seems like it is going for a similar tone to Iron Man: a basic superhero origin story with a wise-cracking lead who likes to fool around.

The early version of the script suggests that, yeah; it seems to me that the trailer focuses an awful lot on the aliens and outer space aspects of it. I guess we'll see.

 

[flemm]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

^ To a point it did, in that the scenes on Oa were featured quite prominently, but I thought that, upon closer examination, the trailer basically confirmed that the majority of the film would probably take place on earth, though obviously there is an element of uncertainty at this point.

The early scenes, prior to Hal being chosen as a Green Lantern take place on earth, of course. We also see a bunch of scenes of Hal on earth trying to learn to use the ring and come to terms with his new "job." And some brief clips of action sequences from later in the film with Ryan in full CGI costume, also on earth.

So, other than a trip to Oa somewhere in the middle of the film, it looks like the majority of the film will take place on earth, which is not surprising.

I think this here is an example of how quick success can alter the perception of a characters mass appeal. I recall in the months leading up to Iron Man it was a foregone conclusion it would NOT work. Due to a multitude of alleged factors.
Not saying you Spiff specifically but the 'net had a large share of posters who felt IM was doomed to do at best $125m domestic.

Now the exact same compaints are hurled at Thor, GL and to a lesser extent Captain America.

Thor due to its a)mix of genres b)lack of knowledge on Marvel's Thor and a few others.

GL due to its first trailer with questionable CGI(which IM also had but we know how that was tuned up) and out of character humor.

Cap with his 'silly' costume and being a period piece.

At least one if not two of these will break out I think. So that in 4 years we may be saying, " "x" is a harder "sell" than something like Batman, Iron Man or Thor."

You're right. It's a hard sell until it sells, then once it sells, it seems like success was inevitable.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan and all that.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

I just think that, as you implied, it's a harder "sell" than something like Batman or Iron Man.

I think this here is an example of how quick success can alter the perception of a characters mass appeal. I recall in the months leading up to Iron Man it was a foregone conclusion it would NOT work. Due to a multitude of alleged factors.
Not saying you Spiff specifically but the 'net had a large share of posters who felt IM was doomed to do at best $125m domestic.

Now the exact same compaints are hurled at Thor, GL and to a lesser extent Captain America.

Thor due to its a)mix of genres b)lack of knowledge on Marvel's Thor and a few others.

GL due to its first trailer with questionable CGI(which IM also had but we know how that was tuned up) and out of character humor.

Cap with his 'silly' costume and being a period piece.

At least one if not two of these will break out I think. So that in 4 years we may be saying, " "x" is a harder "sell" than something like Batman, Iron Man or Thor."

I think with Iron Man, some people thought it might not do well because general moviegoers were unfamiliar with the character. What they hadn't counted on was Downey himself. The trailers wisely relied on his dialogue, which told people they'd have a good time at the movie even if they'd never heard of Tony Stark. Add the positive reviews and good word-of-mouth, and they had a hit. I suspect if the movie had been about a completely original character, it would have done almost as well.

I don't expect Thor or Green Lantern to be blockbusters, but you never know. I really have no idea what to expect from Captain America, I just predict I'll really like it. I don't think being a period piece will hurt it, though.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

New Abin Sur pic:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=75469

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

It appears as if Abin Sur has been redesigned a bit for this summer's Flashpoint crossover, in keeping with his appearance in the movie:

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/files/2011/03/flsp_abin_cv1_rgb.jpg

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

Interesting piece on Warner Bros' marketing missteps with this movie here:

"We are on a learning curve in getting 3-D materials and marketing materials on the same schedule," Robinov said. The advertising campaign "has been delayed strictly from production."

Warner is finally showing new promotional material to exhibition executives at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week and to fans at the WonderCon convention in San Francisco this weekend. It also plans to release a new trailer that will play with the Marvel superhero movie "Thor" in early May. Sue Kroll, the studio's worldwide marketing president, said she was confident the reaction would be different than it was for the teaser trailer in November.

"Part of the reason the response to the first trailer was lukewarm was that the big-scale sequences weren't ready to show, and we suffered for it," she said. "We can't afford to do that again."

Robinov said Warner Bros. had learned its lesson the hard way on aligning its production and marketing schedules for special-effects-heavy 3-D tentpole films. "We won't be in this position again," he said.

He also said he wasn't worried about the movie's ultimate success or the fact that Warner is covering the entire budget itself without a financial partner, as is increasingly common for big-budget pictures in Hollywood. Just as the studio has done with the hugely profitable "Harry Potter" series, Robinov said he wanted Warner Bros. to own 100% of as many DC movies going forward as possible.

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

The trailer with THOR needs to kick ass. Seems Sue Kroll and those involved are fully aware of the PR pounding this movie has been taking since the teaser trailer with spotty f/x.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

Yeah, someone made the point elsewhere that the fx problem doesn't address the character aspects of the first trailer that underwhelmed some folks - and then someone else remarked that trying to cut together a trailer for a movie like this based on character dialogue because you don't have the visual material that's central to the movie is a dicey thing at best. "A movie rife with silly dialogue clumsily delivered by some inexperienced actors" is a reasonable description of the original Star Wars, after all.

I saw the first trailer in IMAX with Harry Potter and I thought it looked wonderful. This looks to be pretty much the GL movie I want to see, but it would be nice if it were a big success as well.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

Oh, and Michael Clarke Duncan is "in talks" to voice Kilowog.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Re: Green Lantern E.T. Spot!!!

^ Interesting. Surprised they're only casting him this late in the day.