Young actor/martial artist and long time comic book fan, Christian Storm is apparently in talks with WB for a project regarding Dick Grayson, Batman’s Ex-Side Kick better known as Nightwing. It’s too early to tell if it will be a TV series or a feature film but Chris wanted to learn from the “experts” here at CBM about what they would like to see done with one of their favourite heroes as well as to know how they would feel about him starring as the lead role!
Shaman- Tell us a bit about yourself, and where your love for superheroes comes from?
Christian Storm- I was born in Chicago but I traveled around the states with a comic book in my back pocket. So I’ve been into comics as far back as I can remember. My parents were divorced and my step dad was in the military. We lived on a base in North Carolina for a while before moving to Wisconsin where I’ve lived ever since. Living on a base is pretty sweet I mean, how more secure can it get? But being surrounded with patriots everyday, you get to relate much closer to heroes and appreciate first hand what they stand for.
Shaman- What training have you gone through to feel adequately equipped to portray such an agile hero?
Christian Storm- Well I’ve been a gymnast for many years but I started Martial Arts since I was nine years old. I’m fluent in thirteen different styles and an expert in Kali(stick fighting) as well as with Nunchakus and Bo’s. I’ve been practicing Martial Arts for over twenty years now.
Shaman- Where would the fans have seen you before, in what have you played?
Christian Storm- Oh I’m not a household name yet but I’m working my way to the top. I played a hitman in the 2004 “Lana’s Rain” feature. In 2000 I played a body guard in “Dexter Dickie”. I’ve done many plays at the theatre in Madison, WI. I played Van Helsing in a Dracula play at that theatre. I’ve played an escaped convict in “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol”. I was in a Library scene in X-Files. I played a doctor on a pilot that never got off the ground. I guess ER was too hot to compete with at the time. I was in a few commercials and I’ve done some stunt/promotional work as Obi-Wan-Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode 1. I took a short break from the acting world to witness the wonders of the birth of my son Justice, oh yeah, I was geeked out with the whole superman thing, the Son becomes the Father and the Father becomes the Son and so on. But being a father changes your life and I firmly believe for the better.
Shaman- What drives you so much about acting and what makes you so passionate about getting the chance to portray Nightwing?
Christian Storm- I love the part of becoming someone else and I go through great lengths to research and become that person/character. And I truly believe that for a project like this to be successful, you need an actor that you are unfamiliar with, I think that is what made Brandon Routh look good as the new Superman. I feel he did an amazing job filling Chris Reeve’s boots. I mean, I like Nick Cage, but could you really imagine him as the Man of Steel? I think NIGHTWING is a character that has clearly evolved over the years and is much different than say twenty years ago. I feel that the character should be set in a “Brandon Lee’s The Crow” environment. I feel that the movie was dark enough to be a Nightwing type environment. You also have to display the characters resistance that has been boiling between him and Batman. The character should be portrayed as training constantly. My take on Nightwing has always been that Nightwing/Dick Grayson does things differently than Batman as far as the abuse he is willing to unleash on a perp. Plus he is always trying to prove himself as an equal if not more fierce than Batman. His character is dark of course, yet he has a sense of humor which Batman does not. I feel the film should be dark like the later Batman films, even a bit more so like the Crow with Brandon Lee. But the fight scenes in the film would need to be extreme like the Borne films.
The problems that I see are; does WB work the story in to the already huge success of Nolan’s films that are so popular now? Or spin it some other way. We all know too well how many films get shelved due to budget and or lack of interest. Films are even shelved as to not compete with a larger film that may be released. We could build castles of great films that are sitting on shelves that no one will ever see, and make the windows out of projects that simply did not work out much like the Superman vs. Batman film. I feel that Nightwing is a film who would be watched by anyone who loves the character and I feel that the fans should decide, at least in part. I feel that it would be important to ask the fans what it is they would want in a Nightwing Character on screen. Also, what they would expect from the film itself. Studios are in this business to make a profit but fans know what they want. And with any comic book that is to be made into a film, you desperately need the input of those who buy the comics, the action figures and attend all the conventions. These men and woman are why comics are being written and re-written and then turned into films. They are also the ones that will go out and buy advanced tickets for a great comic book film. They are the reason that actors get paid the big bucks.
Shaman- So what would you like to ask the fans of the character and why have you chosen ComicBookMovie.com?
Christian Storm- I have always been a fan of comics. I shop at Westfields comics. When buying some comics a while ago, I asked what would be a good site to check out and your site was mentioned. I also stumbled across your site again while researching for Nightwing and I feel it could not have been a coincidence. I will be meeting with the WB rep next month and I would like to hear the fans’ comments and thoughts here on CBM. Not just thoughts on my background and pictures, but what they as fans would want and expect from a Nightwing film. I have aleady stated to WB that I would be interested in the project only if I have some say so as to how it is done. That is where the fans come in. I would like to have their comments available when I attend the meeting. So that they could learn first hand what the fans would pay to see. So, I thank you for your time and I look forward to any and all responses, positive or negative, to me as Nightwing and the upcoming project. Keep on rock'n, CBM and thanks again.
C.S.
I know what you’re all saying… “Where’s the sketch???” I did not sketch him as Nightwing yet. I’ll let your input guide me. So there you have it, CBMers. Obviously he is a passionate unknown actor that contrary to the majority, actually wants to hear our voices. So what say you???
Update: Christian Storm has contacted me again to let us all know that his Nightwing project meeting with the WB went very well. He says that the wheels turn slow but they are indeed turning! Remember how many meetings Kevin Smith had to go through to get a chance to write a Superman script? Well i'm sure you all get the idea. And as you can see below in the comments, we have been observed by certain executives and our voices are indeed being heard in some way. Now Chris has asked us to push the envelope and send our thoughts and comments to the WB directly, in order for them to notice us and realise how much we do want a great Nightwing film or show! So keep on commenting and above all else, contact the studios collectively to let them know what fans really want!!!