ARROW's Stephen Amell Responds To THE DARK KNIGHT Comparisons

ARROW's Stephen Amell Responds To THE DARK KNIGHT Comparisons

It's not a secret that The CW's Arrow is inspired by Christopher Nolan's successful take on Batman (The Dark Knight Trilogy), but star Stephen Amell shares his thoughts on fans who think the show is just "copying Batman".

By TheAlexLynch - Oct 20, 2012 03:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Arrow
Source: VancouverSun



In a short interview with the Vancouver Sun, Arrow star Stephen Amell talked all about his new show on The CW, including his thoughts on plenty of fanboys talking about the series ripping off Christopher Nolan's take on the Batman mythos as well as the realistic tone itself.

"The idea was to make it real…As real as you can make it. Now, I understand it’s TV and fantastical things are going to happen but as real as possible and that naturally takes you into the Chris Nolan universe. If you want to be snarky about it you can say, ‘Well, they’re copying Batman.’ Batman works!"



He also goes into detail on how Green Arrow: Year One is affecting the series, especially the mystery shrouding the island and the fact that he wasn't actually alone, as we know he is accompanied by at least Eddie Fyers, Deathstroke and Yao Fei.

"We’re basing large parts of Arrow on Green Arrow: Year One. In Green Arrow: Year One there are tons of people on the island, he gets hooked on heroin, people leave him for dead, really awful things happen to him and I think people want to see a superhero that can be injured. People want to see a super hero, I think, who is emotionally fragile; that had to make real sacrifices."



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vermillion
vermillion - 10/20/2012, 3:26 PM
Awwwyeah. Think I've said this a million times, but Year One is my favorite GA storyline I've read.

Can't wait for next weeks episode.
LP4
LP4 - 10/20/2012, 3:32 PM
My fav was GA OYL

jimpinto24
jimpinto24 - 10/20/2012, 3:35 PM
Arrow is dark, but it's not a cheap knock off of Chris Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. That's nothing but internet trolls that have nothing better else to do than take jabs at Arrow. I don't care what people say, Arrow is a really good show.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 10/20/2012, 3:39 PM
Holy crap, while I thought the first episode was merely okay, the 2nd episode was freaking brilliant.

Loving this show, the action is phenomenal
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 10/20/2012, 3:43 PM
I might keep watching it online, but I'm really hoping Ollie will eventually (meaning, by the end of the season) be Ollie from the comics. He's supposed to be distant YES, but he needs to look like he's enjoying himself. Crack some puns, hell, smile a little... but don't emulate Christian Bale.

We're watching it because we know it has potential, because the action is actually top notch for a CW show - but there needs to be more or it will BOMB.
TheStranger
TheStranger - 10/20/2012, 3:45 PM
It's an excellent show, I freakin' love it! News flash, Ollie and Bruce have very similar stories in that they're billionaires and try to save a failing city as a normal non-powered hero with gadgets, if people would just stop to think how they're different and how their stories are different they would get it.
MtnMan
MtnMan - 10/20/2012, 3:45 PM
Matthew Fox for the next joker in Justice League or Batman. Dude is creepy in Alex Cross. Look up an official picture in the movie where he is MMA fighting in the movie - his face looks like all it need is white paint, red lipstick, and some green hair.
elcaballerooscuro92
elcaballerooscuro92 - 10/20/2012, 3:48 PM
isn't green arrow supposed to be a knock off of batman?
harley2011
harley2011 - 10/20/2012, 4:01 PM
If it was copying Batman it would be better than it is. It is very good for what is. Amell is great as the the Green Arrow.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 10/20/2012, 4:12 PM
Nah, Nolan just wasn't thinking BATMAN when he made the movie, nor was his brother or David Goyer. They wanted to make a movie that could relate worldwide where the average movie-goer avoids CBMs because they're regarded as childish and simple. Basically, Batman went undercover.

Inspiration came from Blade Runner, Batman '89, and the Untouchables - before figuring out how to work nods to the source material in there. His style, if you'd call it that, is simply telling the story out of order to get the audience scratching their heads before revealing something important at the end.

It's why Memento is his best work.
ThatOneDude
ThatOneDude - 10/20/2012, 4:29 PM
Really liking this show.. Amell is great as Grren Arrow!!
Gose
Gose - 10/20/2012, 4:39 PM
Nolan route in batman is basically Sam Raimi in Darkman.
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/20/2012, 5:12 PM
nowhere near as good as batman begins or the dark knight,this show is a little bit up from smallville.
beezness
beezness - 10/20/2012, 5:26 PM
Wait, so people are saying that a dark, grounded take on a billionaire playboy turned street level superhero after a massively traumatic event and years away from home spent training himself into a 'self made man' before returning to his city to bring justice takes some inspiration from the most successful modern example of a dark, grounded take on a billionaire playboy turned street level superhero after a massively traumatic event and years away from home spent training himself into a 'self made man' before returning to his city to bring justice? Shock horror! Seriously, there's similarities, but much more differences.
dnno1
dnno1 - 10/20/2012, 6:11 PM
The three things that are different between Green Arrow and Batman are the arrows, the beard, and the fact that he doesn't have a butler.
RSDhillon
RSDhillon - 10/20/2012, 6:17 PM
@dnno1 Yeaaaah, it's not like they have COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.
storyteller
storyteller - 10/20/2012, 6:25 PM
I think the only thing copied was the Rachel Dawes/ Lawyer thing. Otherwise we are dealing with common themes that come with heroes like Green Arrow. He's going to deal with the cops. He's going to deal with organized crime. Heroes either learn as they go or return from years of training.

I think the show will have its own identity once they get into Arrow's true enemies and the weirder folk.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 10/20/2012, 6:35 PM
Jesus always got to be hate for Nolan in every damn thread.
aquaman52
aquaman52 - 10/20/2012, 6:42 PM
I have really been enjoying this show so far. Look forward to next episode!
alekesam
alekesam - 10/20/2012, 6:46 PM
As long as there are overzealous Nolanites, there will always be hate for the man himself. I swear, if it wasn't for Nolanites, I think there'd be half the hate on him. Even some of Nolan's strongest haters at the very least can admit that they like some parts of his movies, if not like all of it.
sameoldthing
sameoldthing - 10/20/2012, 8:24 PM
The basis of many superheroes come from other literary works..Batman comes from Zorro as Hulk came from Dr.Jekyll & Mr. Hyde as Green Arrow comes from Robin Hood.

There are others but influenced works always happens,always will.
Shadowelfz
Shadowelfz - 10/20/2012, 8:40 PM
Jesus why is every male character on the WB have to look and act like a douche bag? Do they think people like Dbags or something?

Theres more to characters than having them look pretty and act cool.
TheDetectiveComicRises
TheDetectiveComicRises - 10/20/2012, 11:19 PM
Really good show & I think it will become great besides both Batman & Green Arrow are great characters & luv that both & The Dark Knight Trilogy & Arrow are part of The DC Universe ;)
NovemberGrey
NovemberGrey - 10/20/2012, 11:30 PM
I really want to like this show, and to be fair there is alot I think they got right, I like the actors, premise, and look of the show, but for the love of god they need better writers, especially Oliver's dialog and narration, and somebody get Stephen Amell a damn acting coach. People loved to bitch about Tom Welling, but this guy makes him look like Robert Deniro. Stephen has the emotional depth of a coffee pot. I honestly like the guy, he definitely looks the part, but the way he delivers every line like a cyborg isn't helping.
Ceejay
Ceejay - 10/21/2012, 1:56 AM
How is this show even remotely similar to what Nolan accomplished with his Batman adaptation? How is Arrow dark simply because people die in it? The entire show is full of teen appeal like every other CW network gloss show and its just as cheesy as Smallville with its campy dressed villains and green flashing LED weapons etc. We know why Batman uses a Bat as his symbol, why the hell is Arrow using Green let alone Arrows?

"Dark" isn't even a relative description of Nolan's Batman movies, they're basically more grounded in realism by basing their concepts on scientific theory. His vehicles, his utility weapons and even his suit and fighting style are all based on technical theory of various levels and execution.

Arrow is just utter cheese comic fantasy, he takes on men with automatic weapons head on, unlike Batman's stealth Ninja style and he out-draws bullets which is ridiculous! He does not use the shadows to avoid being seen, he simply dives to the floor like Captain Kirk and does a roll which apparently convinces fanboys, makes automatic weapon fire unable to hit him! Batman's wearing kevlar armor, this guys just walking around in a leather robin hood suit with spray paint for a mask and a hoodie!

Nolan's Batman has unofficial police aid to assist his cause as well as a vast company, a CEO who has experience creating new military weapons tech, a hidden base of operations and a fortune to fund his crusade which he planned and set up over many years. Arrow trained on a island for 5 years with no knowledge of current or modern day technology or current affairs and simply sets up a warehouse where he magically produces in a few days, an arsenal of cheesy tech arrows without even having any sources to manufacture anything he uses!

Arrow is for people who accept what they read in comics as plausible with little or no question. In short, it's your regular generic comic cheese, kids stuf! Nolan's Batman is for people who demand more than the implausibility of the generic comic superhero concept. In short, it's fantasy for a far more mature audience.
ChromeToaster
ChromeToaster - 10/21/2012, 2:25 AM
So Black Cannery wont have powers. . . Booooo!!!
beezness
beezness - 10/21/2012, 3:22 AM
@Ceejay, ah, gotta love those die hard Nolan fanboys. "How dare they blaspheme the great name of Lord Nolan!" Seriously, comparing Arrow to the Dark Knight series is like comparing The Sopranos (after the first two episodes) to the Godfather series, two very different types of entertainment. Similar theme, different execution. Arrow is a TV show, it doesn't have to cram every single detail of Oliver Queens origin into one hour, show some resemblance of patience (though spoilers? He was trained on the island by someone who could go toe-to-toe with Deathstroke). He's called Arrow because he was trained to use them, it's his weapon of choice. The bad shot henchman? In Dark Knight too. The tech? Less magic super science, more home made improv. Don't like it? Don't watch it.
UltimaRex
UltimaRex - 10/21/2012, 4:10 AM
Umm...

Wasn't TDK amazing?

How can this be anything less than a good thing?

I'm watching now.
Vital
Vital - 10/21/2012, 4:58 AM
I'm pretty sure DC made Green Arrow to resemble Batman, WAY WAY WAY before this show or Nolan's films were even around lol. There are a lot of similar things, but that will get people's attention, because MOST people like Batman and Nolan's films. I think the show is WAY better than Smallville and we are only on the 2nd episode thus far.

@Novgrey, umm his acting is just fine. Why would he be smiling if all he gets to do is lie to people he cares about? Do YOU smile when you lie lol?
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