Martain Manhunter' spin off to replace 'Smallville?

[Samurai8472]

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/691603/Is_Martian_Manhunter_Replacing_Superman.html

Originally Posted by G4

Is 'Martian Manhunter' Replacing Superman?
Posted by Joseph Baxter - Tuesday, December 09, 2008 12:18 PM

As some may have heard, a spinoff to the CW's Smallville starring Justice League founding member, John Jones aka: Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris) is set to happen. However, the spinoff may actually end up being the original's replacement. It's possible that despite a successful eighth season, Smallville may be a wrap by the season's end. It seems that Superman himself, Tom Welling's contract is coming up soon and the show (which has been on since 2001) may be growing a bit weary.

So, exactly what would a Martian Manhunter show bring to the CW? The network has made no secret of its desire to maintain a "tenny-bopper" theme among its shows, (even going so far as letting go of its highest-rated show, WWE Smackdown.) So what would a show about a middle-aged guy who is actually in disguise from his real form of a green-skinned alien? He has basically all of Superman's powers, but has fire as a weakness (Fire is a pretty rough weakness to have. I would take kryptonite, personally.) Is this fitting of a show on "the Gossip Girl network?"

It will be interesting to see whether or not CW closes the books on Smallville, and exactly how they are going to approach this new show. Will the Justice League ever come to full fruition? Is the "CW DC-verse" going to remain separate from the "Movie DC-verse?"

Also

SMALLVILLE could be forced to end because of 'actor availability' issues with Tom Welling, according to one of the show's executive producers.

The show reimagines the younger years of Clark Kent before he became Superman, with 31-year-old Welling in the lead role.

Kryptonsite reports that executive produce Darren Swimmer told TV Guide that although the show is enjoying a ratings rebound in its eighth season, it may have to end in May because of actor availability problems, notably with Welling. There was no response to calls to the actor's agents.

A grand finale for the show is being prepared in the event that it is finishing for good. Lex Luthor actor Michael Rosenbaum has already left, as has Kristin Kreuk who played Lana Lang. Lex's father Lionel (John Glover) was killed off and Clark's mother (Annette O'Toole) was written out some time ago.

We are unlikely to see Welling (pictured right) don the classic Superman costume for Smallville's final scenes because it would conflict with the big-screen franchise, according to Swimmer. But viewers will see Clark developing the classic dual identity in episodes later this series.

Swimmer suggests that if the ninth season is scrapped and the show ends, one alternative might be a Martian Manhunter spin-off featuring the superpowered supporting character played in the show by Phil Morris (pictured below left).

The news obviously leads to questions over why Welling is unavailable. Is he simply moving on or does he have some other role lined up?

There have been calls - and petitions - to see Welling appear as Superman on the big screen. Could it be possible that he is a contender for a movie version of Superman - either in the proposed Man of Steel movie (which will be a reintroduction, not a sequel to Bryan Singer's Superman Returns) or in George Miller's proposed Justice League team-up film?

A Superman actor would also be required for the Clark Kent cameo planned for the Green Lantern movie, which starts filming next year, although such a cameo wouldn't create a long-term availability problem.

http://www.kryptonsite.com/tvguide-dec08.htm

"big screen franchise" what big screen franchise? >_> Oh they must mean that 2006 attempt

 

[Dick Whitman]

The idea of a Martian Manhunter series staring Phil Morris sounds great.
But on The CW...
Its going to face the same type of problems Smallville has faced its whole run.

Ideally a show like this would be a detective series. Heavy on mystery and the supernatural.

 

[Christopher]

I love the idea of a series starring Phil Morris as a superpowered detective. Heck, I love the idea of a series starring Phil Morris, period.

I imagine they'd want to team him up with a couple of young, attractive partners for the target demographic. What kind of supporting cast does J'onn have in the comics? Has he had a solo series?

 

[Norrin Radd]

Phil Morris rules. I'd love to see him in an MM series. From what I've seen of him on Smallville, he has quite the presence about him. I remember when he was going to do a Seinfeld "Jackie Chiles" spinoff. Didn't happen, but that would've had potential.

 

[JoeZhang]

I love the idea of a series starring Phil Morris as a superpowered detective. Heck, I love the idea of a series starring Phil Morris, period.

I imagine they'd want to team him up with a couple of young, attractive partners for the target demographic. What kind of supporting cast does J'onn have in the comics? Has he had a solo series?

Since the mid-1980s, he's had a few mini-series (one average, one that sucked so badly it drew in the sun and one set in the 1950s that was fantastic) and one series.

In all of that time he's never really had a supporting cast (you occasionally saw a couple of characters from earlier time periods - the 1950s and 1960s, when he did have a supporting case - but they never stuck around).

One of the interesting ideas that John Ostrander (he wrote the mid-1990s series) introduced was that the character didn't have a secret identity, he has secret identities. Those ranged from the standard John Johns (Private detective/ex-policeman) to a street child in brazil, head of a sony like technology company in Japan and a cat in italy.

 

[Norrin Radd]

The first thing they could do is "de-power" the character a bit. I don't mind the whole multiple superpowers thing, but I've always thought he'd be more interesting if he had them to a more limited degree. I'd also de-emphasize the vulnerability to flame aspect...sure they can hurt him more than anything else, but shouldn't be fatal to him like Kryptonite.

 

[Aragorn]

Two headscratching items:

MAY be growing a bit weary?

And what exactly is Tom Welling busy with? Family life? Because it certainly isn't a movie career.

 

[Siwilliams]

So will Smallville's final season get a full season?

 

[Samurai8472]

And what exactly is Tom Welling busy with? Family life? Because it certainly isn't a movie career.

Those paint cans at Home Depot need refilling

 

[JNG]

Martian Manhunter is one of my favorite characters ever, and while I doubt such a show could do him justice, the idea that anyone would even consider trying is much more than I, as a fan, ever expected to get!

 

[the Dagman]

Actually, I could see this working but not as a straight out "Martian Manhunter" show. I would say, why not take an old idea and retool it a bit? Rename the show "Metropolis", keep the whole current cast aside from Welling, and go from there.

There was supposed to be a period of time where Clark Kent virtually disappeared from the world for a few years. In the comics it was because he spent that time traveling the world, learning about different cultures around the world. In the movies, he was in the Fortress undergoing the training his father Jor-El had left for him. So, say he is doing something like that or maybe even going to college overseas to actually get a degree (his mom's a US Senator after all, and her father is a rich businessman that was only absent because he hated Jonathan, they should be able to afford it now).

You could have Chloe decide to help people on her own without Clark and go to the police academy, eventually becoming Jones' partner. Keep the Lois and Jimmy dynamic going and building. Bring on the remaining Justice Leaguers and Perry White. And show the cast taking care of Metropolis while Clark prepares to become Superman.

 

[Guy Gardener]

they need to get sponsor ship from Oreoes, which might be difficult, since they crapped on the comicbook Oreo fetish and said that they didn't want no free publicity if they couldn't control it.

Do we get to see Phil painted Green?

Please dear god at some point do we get to see him singing "It's not easy being green?"

 

[CorporalClegg]

I think it would be a great idea. Perhaps merge this and the Green Arrow thing. The problem with the latter was JH wasn't strong enough to lead a show. However, Morris is just a very good actor and just plain old awesome.

I mean, Remta'Klan was like the all time best Jem'Hadar.

 

[Christopher]

Actually, I could see this working but not as a straight out "Martian Manhunter" show. I would say, why not take an old idea and retool it a bit? Rename the show "Metropolis", keep the whole current cast aside from Welling, and go from there.

Not the entire cast, I'd think. Davis/Doomsday probably has little purpose beyond this season's arc, and there's not much point in having "Doomsday" without "Superman." And Tess is just a surrogate for Lex; again, she serves a limited purpose without Clark being involved. For that matter, how can you have Lois Lane without Clark Kent?

How about something where J'onn becomes a PI with Chloe as his sidekick? (They could call it Manhunter.) Either that or a Justice League series with J'onn joining the team as its leader/mentor figure and Chloe reprising her Oracle gig. Although they'd need to have more female characters than just Chloe and Dinah. Wonder Woman's out for arcane licensing reasons, so maybe Huntress? Vixen?

 

[the Dagman]

Actually, I could see this working but not as a straight out "Martian Manhunter" show. I would say, why not take an old idea and retool it a bit? Rename the show "Metropolis", keep the whole current cast aside from Welling, and go from there.

Not the entire cast, I'd think. Davis/Doomsday probably has little purpose beyond this season's arc, and there's not much point in having "Doomsday" without "Superman." And Tess is just a surrogate for Lex; again, she serves a limited purpose without Clark being involved. For that matter, how can you have Lois Lane without Clark Kent?

How about something where J'onn becomes a PI with Chloe as his sidekick? (They could call it Manhunter.) Either that or a Justice League series with J'onn joining the team as its leader/mentor figure and Chloe reprising her Oracle gig. Although they'd need to have more female characters than just Chloe and Dinah. Wonder Woman's out for arcane licensing reasons, so maybe Huntress? Vixen?

Zatanna! Tophat and fishnets would go great on the CW.

 

[wamdue]

not to be picky or nothing, (remeber im not UK pace) but didnt Manhunter loose his powers in the first episode of the current series?

As for smallville, its crazy how Smallvillle can get its lead so wrong (in part due to them not being allowed to use the Superman character) yet create other possible leads, Green Arrow / Oliver Queen for example, The Justice League, even Chloe could probaly carry a show. Crazy

Also im really pissed with DC Comics, first off you have this no Superman rule, because of a movie franchise, as has been said above, what movie franchise, Returns has not returned Superman to where he was with the original movies, and for this DC says that the one Superman project they have which is successful has to suffer.

Dont even get me started on a Green Arrow series being vetoed for Superman, Oliver wont even have his arrows in the movie, he is in jail, seriously why not just come up with a new hero, Green Arrow is not strong enough to carry a movie (not without this Supermax jail apparntly) so why stop him from being the lead of a TV show, there is alot of fan support for.

 

[Christopher]

not to be picky or nothing, (remeber im not UK pace) but didnt Manhunter loose his powers in the first episode of the current series?

He lost his powers in an arbitrary way that served the story, so he could get them back in another arbitrary way if the story called for it. Heck, it would be easy enough to reveal that his power burnout was only temporary.

As for a Green Arrow series, I'd rather watch Phil Morris than Justin Hartley any day of the week.

 

[Praetor]

This is very exciting and very scary. I used to see J'onn as a thinly veiled Superman knockoff but I've actually become a big fan recently and somewhat prefer him, not the least of which because of his portrayal in the 'Justice League' series and 'Justice League: New Frontier.'

How about something where J'onn becomes a PI with Chloe as his sidekick? (They could call it Manhunter.) Either that or a Justice League series with J'onn joining the team as its leader/mentor figure and Chloe reprising her Oracle gig. Although they'd need to have more female characters than just Chloe and Dinah. Wonder Woman's out for arcane licensing reasons, so maybe Huntress? Vixen?

I think these are the two best ways to approach it, and I do favor the former over the latter. He could form his own detective agency with young partners but that seems a bit too hakneyed and could go Hardy Boys (in a bad way) if mishandled. Alternatively, have him still be in the Metropolis Police Force (or better yet, Gotham - where was he usually based in the comics anyway?) and have several young, hip, attractive police partners. It would also be nice to work in the 'multiple secret identies' idea to it, perhaps as he goes about solving cases he assumes different identities of local law enforcement?

I would also hope that the premier episode would involve a flashback to his arrival on Earth. I know that he apparently was sent to Earth to watch over Clark on 'Smallville' or something like that, could anyone brief me more on that? I wouldn't mind if they reconfigured his origin as much as possible to be more in-line with his classic origins, as depicted in 'New Frontier.' They should also work in the 'outsider' aspects of the character and the loneliness, and slowly have him warm to everyone else.

 

[Kryton]

In honor of Phil Morris's dad Greg, I'd like to propose the show be called Martian:IMPOSSIBLE!

 

[Christopher]

In honor of Phil Morris's dad Greg, I'd like to propose the show be called Martian:IMPOSSIBLE!

(Actually I groaned rather than laughing, but there's no suitable smiley for a pun-appreciation groan.)

It would be in honor of Phil too, since he co-starred in the '88 Mission: Impossible revival, playing the son of Greg Morris's character.