Marvel Looking to Lowball Writers for B-List Superhero Movies

Marvel Looking to Lowball Writers for B-List Superhero Movies

The contract sounds crazy but hey if your low on the totem pole and need some experience this is the way to at least try and go.

News
By jman1977 - Mar 27, 2009 09:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Other
Source: darkhorizons.com

Looks like Marvel is going to invite up to 5 writers a year (either in house writers our hire outside the company) to tackle a few of Marvel's B list Superheros.

The trade adds that the company will provide the specific pitches it wants the writers to tackle. Those could involve certain plot points for movies already in development or characters it would like to see in its future film slate.

The gathering of screenwriters will help Marvel come up with creative ways to launch its lesser-known properties, such as Black Panther, Cable, Doctor Strange, Iron Fist, Nighthawk and Vision.

So far, it has focused its efforts on more popular super heroes like Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America.

A group of Marvel executives will choose the writers, with the final decision made by Kevin Feige, Marvel Studio's president of production.

Terms call for Marvel to own whatever the writers work on during the year. Company has the option to continue a relationship with the writers after that period.

Also Marvel has included in the contracts that Marvel gets a first look and last refusal to any and all projects the writers have previously written or will write for 2 years in the future. So to sum this up if you are lucky enough to write for any B list Superhero's for Marvel they will own your ass even if they fire you for up to two years after the fact. Sounds scary.

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StarksNStripes
StarksNStripes - 3/27/2009, 11:13 AM
With the recession on and all that good jazz, I think it would be prudent to just go ahead and cram all of of those characters into a single movie.
The villain can be Dr. Doom. Or maybe something abstract and general, like global warming. Or a disease.
ngclarkiv
ngclarkiv - 3/27/2009, 11:17 AM
No cramming them all in one movie is just asking for a Spider-Man 3 or a Fantastic Four 2 when they crammed all the villains in Spidey and the Silver Surfer story and Doctor Doom in FF2. These movies could perhaps be good if they get some good writers and directors. Nighthawk would be sick as would Iron Fist, Dr. Strange, and Black Panther. I don't know about Cable and Vision though. Cable is way too big of a story.
dizzle716
dizzle716 - 3/27/2009, 11:32 AM
This might be a good thing. All too often, directors or producers rely on the same team of writers to help pen a script to a movie. Listen, if your last movies was bad, chances are your next movie will be bad, as well, if you use the same writers.

As of late, good writers a valued commodity in vast demand but not supply. We've seen too many movies go downhill because the writers got comfortable or bored and decided to try something new. Get some new blood in there that perhaps has more knowledge of the source material they are working on.
Pierce_Highmen
Pierce_Highmen - 3/27/2009, 11:42 AM
It doesnt sound like they want to cram everyone into one film. Im guessing they will be looking for a script for each of those characters. For me, I would love the chane to tackle one of these great characters. Marvel could own me for 2 years, as long as their checks clear.

I would love to take a crack at the Punisher. That was my favorite comic as a child. I also like the Cable/Vision comic. Everyone likes buddy cop movies, it could be like that, only better because they are superheroes.

Where is the link for this effort. I would love to contact Marvel and give it a shot.
unlimited
unlimited - 3/27/2009, 11:45 AM
Cable would make a great movie and maybe they could throw in Deadpool in the movie too. They could even do a Bishop movie or a Moon Knight movie.
dizzle716
dizzle716 - 3/27/2009, 11:49 AM
Why do so many people have such a boner for Deadpool? Sure, I think he's a cool character, but crap, you don't have to put him in every movie!
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/27/2009, 12:00 PM
I think its because of the whole pop culture referencing and breaking of the 4rth wall and stuff..i agree, i think hes pretty cool but a bit overrated, considering the actual comics he appears in are pretty mediocre.

I hope to see a good Dr Strange movie..with Cloak and Dagger!
ComicChic
ComicChic - 3/27/2009, 12:05 PM
I want a GenX movie. I know I'm the only one, but I do. If they could revert the rights to Xmen I would also like Apocolypse Saga. Again probably just me.
dizzle716
dizzle716 - 3/27/2009, 12:32 PM
I think a Dr. Strange movie is a great idea (done well, of course).

GenX, I remember that comic. I liked how it was drawn. If they do that movie, it would probably have to be animated, or CGI.

I think a Wildcats movie could be cool, too.
alten2345
alten2345 - 3/27/2009, 12:34 PM
@Comicchic

As in Generation X? Already been made. And it sucked lol.
ThisFan
ThisFan - 3/27/2009, 12:37 PM
i hope the dr strange movie is good but that is a movie i am worried about be cause its not that easy to make a good dr strange live action movie
BaronBubba
BaronBubba - 3/27/2009, 12:44 PM
Well... They revamped The Punisher already (in Punisher: War Zone), and they are talking about revamping Daredevil (which would have to be under the Marvel Knights production line, like War Zone). And if the resurgent talks of a Moon Knight show are true, it may be wise to test the waters with a movie first. Could it be possible for a three way, not so buddy-buddy team up based on my thinking? Marvel Knights would be my goal.

As for Luke Cage and Iron Fist, I don't think you can split them up. Heroes for Hire, man. And, I hope you don't blacklist a new guy for saying this, but make it a comedy.

::GASPS::

Think about it. Owen Wilson as Danny Rand/Iron Fist, Terry Crews (the huge dude from White Chicks) as Luke Cage, it could be a potentially hilarious buddy action comedy.

Heck, they could even go undercover at a halloween party or something and go in their classic seventies gear. Cage's afro n' tiara, yellow silk shirt... Iron Fist's over the top green and yellow suit.

You have to admit, B-listers can be treated anyway you want.
vonstallin
vonstallin - 3/27/2009, 12:47 PM
Rorschach01
You must have read my mind...I was just thinking about a good cloak and dagger movie...

They can actualy change this one up quite a bit...take more of a sci fi angle...X-Fileish vs costume freak.
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 12:49 PM
Good news for Dr Strange fans... Go check out IMDB, it looks like Guillermo Del Toro and Neil Gaiman have been attached to write and direct this film for some time now without dispute! (For which my geekgasm continues to build exponentially!)
Go check it out!!
alten2345
alten2345 - 3/27/2009, 12:52 PM
@BaronBubba

If they were going to go down that road I wouldn't so much make Power Man/Iron Fist a comedy but do it like a spoof on a blackploitation films from the 70's like Shaft done in the style ala Grindhouse. If they weren't going for straight super hero with it I'd say that would be that way to make it.
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 12:53 PM
As for myself, I'm just dying to see: Black Panther, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, Y: The Last Man, Transmetropolitan, Sandman (and/or Death), Green Lantern, and an eventual Justice League and Avengers movie!
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 12:57 PM
BaronBubba: That's a unique, quite frankly disturbing, but wonderfully ingenious idea! Except Owen Wilson... I can't stand to look at that dude, his schnozz is WAY too distracting! LOL

alten2345: I REALLY like the idea of a comedic take on the blacksploitation films of the 70's! The great thing about "Heroes for Hire" is these guys could be taken in so many different directions, it's insane!
icebergslick
icebergslick - 3/27/2009, 12:58 PM
I needs a Black Panther film and a Moon Knight film to come to fruition! That would be great.
BaronBubba
BaronBubba - 3/27/2009, 1:09 PM
adamant877: But the messed up nose could be from his training... Danny Rand was so irritating, so spoiled-rich-whiny boy that a peaceful, vow-of-silence monk got so angry he permanently misshaped his nose with one punch of iron like fury...

And Luke cage could have gone to jail for something completely innocent, and was a victim of like a 15 cop case of police brutality on a random black dude...


icebergslick:: I agree with you on those... ButI'm leaning toward Moonie for sure. But for it to not be so Batman-esque, they'd have to focus more on his fractured mind, a la Charlie Huston's revamp from 2006.
loganaspatch
loganaspatch - 3/27/2009, 1:15 PM
BaronBubba
alten2345
adamant877

haha i agree with you guys that would be fun and terry crews is a good pick, the same idea worked for undercover brother and austin powers mix in some hancock and we have a movie ga dammit!

maybe marvel should make a reality show, sorta like those next top chefs and next top models tv shows

have writers show up that are trying to get in the game and let us get to know em :)
DarkAvengers
DarkAvengers - 3/27/2009, 1:19 PM
Cable would be cool because it could lead to involving the X Men in a new set of films. Plus, it could keep Deadpool around. Hell, if they are thinking about doing this, then they should start using comic story arcs. Throw in the Thunderbolts too.

Moonkinght will never happen on film. He's too much like Batman.
BaronBubba
BaronBubba - 3/27/2009, 1:31 PM
@Darkavengers


Truthfully, how much Moon Knight have you read?

Because Moon Knight is similar to Batty in action and even their mythos, to a certain extent.

But come on. Mentally speaking, there is a massive difference. A movie about a guy, the son of a jewish rabbi, abandoning his faith, becoming a disgraced soldier turned mercenary, getting killed and "resurrected", and becoming the avatar of Khonshu, the God of the Moon and Vengeance? Routinely disfiguring, maiming, sometimes killing his foes? All in the service of a god, who no one, not even Marc "Loonie-Moonie" Spector himself, knows is real or not? That it could be a supernatural being, a figment of his imagination, or one of his many split-personalities? And if it isn't real, how do you explain his multiple resurrections, moon phase based powers, and prophetic visions?

WAAAAY different than Batman.


But of course, someone who probably just thinks Moon Knight = Dark Knight wouldn't understand that.
BaronBubba
BaronBubba - 3/27/2009, 1:33 PM
TheProgram... not a bad pick... But Honsou is getting old, and he has a kid on the way with Kimora Lee... No chance he'd do it.
BaronBubba
BaronBubba - 3/27/2009, 1:41 PM
lol... Wesley was set to star in and produce BP before his tax evasion fiasco.
THEHAWK
THEHAWK - 3/27/2009, 2:02 PM
Hate to be the one that pisses on everyones parade, but there are alot of characters named that Marvel can't make a movie about because the rights are owned by another company. These include:


Daredevil,And all related characters including:
-Kingpin
-Electra
-Typhoid Mary
-Bullseye

All X Men characters and relating characters, Including:
The X-men
-Wolverine
-Cyclops
-Jean Grey
-Storm
-etc.
-All characters that abilities are derived from a natural mutation
-Deadpool
-Cable
-Domino
-All X-force Characters
-All mutant/ supporting villains:
-Apocolyps- Mr.Sinister- Magneto etc.
-Shi ar

All Fantastic 4 characters & related characters:
Fantastic 4
-Dr. Doom.
-Silver Surfer
-Galactus
-Inhumans
-Skrulls

All Spiderman characters including:
Spiderman
-MJ
-Gobby
-etc.

Ghost Rider, I believe.

Punisher.

There are more characters not allowed. These characters and related franchises are off limits to Marvel. Mostof them are owned by FOX or Sony. I am not sure about Punisher and GR though.

Unless the rights eventually revert back to Marvel,as Fantastic 4 will soon be doing unless FOX make more. Marvel could possibly, however unlikely, make a deal to allow crossovers, but again it will never happen.

Sorry, I know it sucks. :?(

HAWK out.
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 2:53 PM
THE HAWK: All, sadly, very true... but...
There is still the possibility, however slim, that one of three things could happen that would change that.

1. The studios, in their lack of insight, and haste, having distributed a film that performed poorly (ahem), or was seen as "less than profitable" (ahem, ahem), would sell said rights back to Marvel's Studios...

2. Marvel bid for the rights, and was making such a large profit at their studio, that they could afford to buy back said rights...

or 3. The studio owning the rights to the characters, and likeness thereof, decide to let their copyright and distribution rights falter.

The first is my obvious choice for the most likely of these cases to take place (in the near future), but I have a feeling, given the recent success of Marvel's studios, the third and possibly the second choices will be iminent as well. ;-)
MidKnight35
MidKnight35 - 3/27/2009, 2:55 PM
I colected Moon Knight after its revamp in '06 and it was amazing! I just do not know who the main villain could be to make it an interesting enought film and not another Punisher:War Zone.I liked the "Midnight Sun" arc with Midnight being a crazed robot man but, would have too much backstory for a movie. The only villains I can think of for him to fight would be Black Spectre or his brother. The TV series seems the better route to go to kind of test the waters with Moon Knight before making a movie.
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 2:56 PM
grif: I think we're going to see the Vision incorporated into the long anticipated (lol) "Ant Man" movie that Marvel announced a few months back. Anyway, that's what I kept hearing on the threads about the script that Edgar Wright was working on.
alten2345
alten2345 - 3/27/2009, 2:57 PM
@Hawk

I keep telling people that Marvel Studios can't touch all those characters (specifically the X-Men characters) and nobody ever listens.
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 3:02 PM
MidKnight35: You're forgetting his altruistic, most well known "original" villain: Werewolf by Night!

But you also have:

-Bushman
-Black Spectre
-Midnight Man
-Stained Glass Scarlett

... there's a lot you could do with him. But in my opinion, he would be much better suited for a series! Especially considering the lack of special effects that would be required, and the types of villains he regularly encounters.
BLADE4040
BLADE4040 - 3/27/2009, 3:36 PM
Comedy yea see thats the kinda thinking that gets our comicbook movies screwed up in the first place.Someone coming in putting their twist on it instead of leaving it as is.If we're going to funk up Luke Cage and Iron Fist lets throw in Spidey and Deadpool. They crack way more jokes than Luke or Iron Fist....I dont recall Fist joking at all. Anyway lets leave the corny funny crap to Jackie Chan and Chris "Micheal Jackson" Tucker for crying out loud.
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 3:42 PM
BLADE4040: I don't know if you've actually read a lot of the old Heroes for Hire, or even Cage and Immortal Iron Fist, for that matter... But MOST of the subject matter in the stories had a very heavy comedic undertone!? Especially with the interactions between Cage and Rand. Sure, they were predominantly action stories, but noone who reads them regularly can argue that they are NOT comedic by nature. (Except for the recent Heroes for Hire comic that came out during Marvel's Civil War arc, that ball of s#@T completely blew!!!)

If they decided to do a Cage movie, or an Iron Fist movie seperately, I would ABSOLUTELY agree with you! Comedy should play as minimal a part in the story as possible, but together... Heroes for Hire... not the same. They just play to well off of each other dynamically, and they spend way too much time ripping into each other comedically!
BaronBubba
BaronBubba - 3/27/2009, 4:23 PM
Blade4040: Comedy screws up superhero movies? Spiderman 3 stunk, and had useless funny scenes, but it wasn't a comedy. Watchmen had quite a few funny moments, but the main gripe about it wasn't humor but the changing of the story itself. Superman Returns was laughably bad. As were the first Hulk, both FF's, and GR. But tell me one true comedy superhero movie. Within the past 10 years, of course.

Now I love Spidey. And I love Deady. But the two of them? In a HEROES FOR HIRE film? No way.

Adamant877: Thanks for pointing that out. Got to it before me. The classic heroes for hire are really goofy. But still action filled. Now if Cage and Fist go solo, I say do it serious. Fist's recent comic run is amazing. And Cage isn't so laughable now. But together? Laughs galore.
Betty
Betty - 3/27/2009, 4:37 PM
@ StarksNStripes you funny!

No the villain should be the Beyonder.
SpiderBat209
SpiderBat209 - 3/27/2009, 4:47 PM
I always liked Peter David's X-FACTOR (Havok, Polaris, Wolfsbane, Multiple Man, Strong Guy, and QuickSilver!)

This was one good comic, till all of the role changes and crap.

But David's X-Factor could be a cool film franchise, if not T.V. series.

Keri Russel as Polaris! lol jk :)

@ Betty: Heeeeey. The Beyonder! Nice! :)
Betty
Betty - 3/27/2009, 4:57 PM
death: the high cost of living, would rack up! I totally agree. It is hollywood's favorite demographic all rapped up in a nice tight package. Young, hot, goth chick who also is the physical embodiment of death.

Ive never seen "dead like me" so i dont know how similar it might be. im sure the characters arent similar but it might have that "been done" type of affect.

Thas cool about guillermo and gaiman attached to dr. strange. not a big fan of strange but those two could work some "magic". snarf. this is where morbius should be.

As far as powerman/iron fist. i say make it humorous but not a total spoof. these characters are still pretty cool no need to totally depart. the buddy cop idea is a pretty good one.

Im really tired of wesley snipes. Give the black panther to djimon something er other, that guy is badass!
adamant877
adamant877 - 3/27/2009, 5:56 PM
Betty; Gotta say, man... Every time I see your avatar I wanna go back and watch Kung Pao all over again! LOL
I agree about Death, and I remember Neil Gaiman saying that he thought it would be incredibly difficult to do a Sandman movie, but that he really thought the idea of a Death: The High Cost of Living would work really well on film.
As for Black Panther, I totally agree. I would hate to see Snipes get his hands on this. I would much rather see someone like Djimoun, or even a no-namer take the mantle. As long as they embodied both the physical AND intillectual attributes of the King!
And about Heroes for Hire... I was only stating that a great deal of the stories had comedic qualities, not that they should spend a lot of time making that the focus or the overall tone of the film. By all means, get these two bad motha-f@$%'s to kick as much hoodlum ass as possible!
Nuff' said.
Rolanddeschain19
Rolanddeschain19 - 3/27/2009, 6:00 PM
this is well good, i give my left arm to write cable, does any know how marvel are gonna go about doing this, i mean ive just looked on the website and saw nothing about this, so am i looking at the wrong place or somthing or am i just being a bit trigger happy.

oh and no jokes, i know i wouldnt be able to write very much if gave my left arm
Rolanddeschain19
Rolanddeschain19 - 3/27/2009, 6:05 PM
ill second that, kung pow is a wicked film havent seen it in years.
I LIKE BIG BUTTS AND I CANNOT LIE!
THEHAWK
THEHAWK - 3/27/2009, 6:34 PM
@ alten. Yeah I know what you mean.

@ adam. If FOX does not make a new F4 in a few years, the property will revert back to Marvel. but knowing FOX's lack for acknowledging quality, they will robably churn out a crappy F4 just so they can retain the rights to the franchise. That is probably the reason FOX is talking about a reboot for F4.

I know who would be perfect as Black Panther. He has the regal bearing the voice. Lawrence Fishburne for the pink, I mean Black Panther.

HAWK out.
HAWK out.
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