EDITORIAL: What Hollywood Should be Doing with Superhero Films

EDITORIAL: What Hollywood Should be Doing with Superhero Films

Creating original heroes gives Hollywood complete creative control.

Editorial Opinion
By Flurb - May 28, 2010 04:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Action

With the recent successes of superhero movies and the planning of creating more movies to work in a series, wouldn't it be wise for someone to line up an original superhero series not found in comics or anywhere else, but completely new?

With Marvel showing success of doing movies that run in an order, it proves that an episodic series of movies can work. "Star Wars," though each was a movie in its own regard, had great benefit from this type of planning. "Heroes"" also gained success in having superpower fueled episodes, though it didn't last long. But the television show had high appeal to the fans and actors alike.

With superhero movies on the rise, why not take on the idea with superheroes? Creating superheroes specifically for movies would be great for current comic book fans because they wouldn't have to worry about the movies messing up their traditional views of the characters and at the same time have something to look forward to between the theatrical releases of their memorable heroes.

Movies like "The Incredibles" or "Hancock" are not what I'm talking about. "The Incredibles" was a decent movie in my opinion but it was a family film, made for families, not superhero addicts. "Hancock" was just a train wreck, perhaps the train wreck in the movie was an ironic foreshadowing. They also didn't set up for a larger idea to be set in motion.

What I say Hollywood needs to do is create a lineup of superheroes, plan out how they can interact with each other throughout a set of movies, foreshadowing to certain elements of the overall plot, and plan out what will happen in each movie to make it a satisfying experience in itself but still act as part of a larger experience, like Marvel is doing with the Avengers. However, unlike Marvel, these characters and stories will be original. There won't be any bad decisions about casting for a certain hero because the hero will be new to the audience. They can be as creative as they want because the story doesn't have to follow a certain suit.

Read my synopsis of what a four movie series could be in the fan fiction area:

Original Heroes for Hollywood

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marvelguy
marvelguy - 5/28/2010, 4:37 PM
You make a good point. The problem is this: When they have created original features like "Heroes," "M.A.N.T.I.S.," and "Dark Angel," all good characters in their own right, they are just not known to the general populace nor the world. Marvel and DC have actual icons. They have a built in brand, even when said brand is distorted a la Dolph Lundgren's "Punisher" or just lacking like Affleck's "Daredevil" or the much loathed "Batman and Robin." To get a studio making a blockbuster out of an unknown vampire slayer...you end up with a distorted and watered down version in the early 1990's.
The other problem is that "Heroes," "Dark Angel," and even "Beauty and the Beast" quickly lose track of their original premise and can lose their followings pretty quickly.
So, your premise is good, but it is not realistic in terms of Hollywood marketing and movie studio investments.
"Heroes" is essentially the re-working of Marvel's "New Universe" from the 80's with a little bit of X-Men thrown in for good measure.
Flurb
Flurb - 5/28/2010, 4:51 PM
@Marvelguy I know it would be a risk for Hollywood, but if they inquired some comic book authors and scriptwriters, with the right marketing, I think it could be easily done.
AverageCitizen99
AverageCitizen99 - 5/28/2010, 5:22 PM
It would be good to see some original superheroes from Hollywood. I guess the only problem is that it would be hard to create a superhero (or superhero team) without it/them getting compared to different characters. Add to that that comics have created endless stories that are worthy of appearing on film. I've even had an idea for a superhero team but I scrapped it because I was either too focused on other stories or I didn't know where it could go from there. But it is time we see new and original supers running or flying around. If comic book writers like Mark Millar, Warren Ellis and everybody else can do it then I'm sure any screenwriter can.
Flurb
Flurb - 5/29/2010, 11:46 AM
AverageCitizen99 @ I think with a comic book writer as a producer and a scriptwriter creating the story, it could be fresh.
AverageCitizen99
AverageCitizen99 - 5/29/2010, 4:39 PM
@Flurb
True. The comic book writer could act as the 'godfather' for the project while also, creatively, helping the scriptwriter/creator flesh things out better. But as I said, it just depends on how the approach of the overall elements are done. Plus, Mark Millar said he is interested in doing a 'District 9' styled superhero film set in Scotland so that is pretty interesting and original. What is needed is good writing and an "A" grade cast of individuals (cast, crew, etc).
marvelguy
marvelguy - 5/29/2010, 6:23 PM
I stand by Hollywood's wanting easy street. With DC and Marvel, you have source material that is nearly endless. Again, I'm for original superheroes, but it's just not that simple when you talk about the money you need to get a blockbuster off the ground. Before "X-Men," I'd hoped they could do an intense animated version a la Pixar or something of the sort.
It would be great to take an original idea and do it in an FX format: edgier, language, and real violence. I so miss "The Shield."
Flurb
Flurb - 5/29/2010, 10:58 PM
@Citizen and @Marvelguy

You should both read my fan fiction, I think you might be more for the idea if you read what could be done.
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