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RVHorror
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
532 Posts |
 Posted - 02/05/2007 : 11:55:30 AM
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According to today's IMDB (the 5th of Feb), Joss Whedon has left the Wonder Woman project. That's a shame, since Whedon is a writer aof some intelligence.
I'm sure they can get the guy who did Daredevil to step up to the plate, though. That'll be great. (/sarc) |
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tam1MI
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
558 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2007 : 10:08:22 PM
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| Actually, some of the interviews Whedon gave seemed to indicate that he viewed WONDER WOMAN as little more than a BUFFY-redux. I never really got the feeling he was all that enthusiastic about the project. So it may be for the best. |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2007 : 10:26:27 PM
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Wonder Woman would strike me as a rather tough nut to crack anyway. Stick slavishly close to the original source material, and you end up with camp. Take a more liberal approach, and suddenly it's no longer really Wonder Woman, and you still might end up with camp. Or worse, drek.
(Cathy Lee Crosby *cough cough*) |
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Prankster
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
727 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2007 : 3:31:12 PM
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I still think Wonder Woman is one of the few remaining un-movied superheroes who could make for a great movie, beyond simply an action and explosion-fest. The subtext and social dynamics (yes, I just said "social dynamics") of the character are really interesting, but I'll spare you my rant there. I personally think Whedon would have definitely done something interesting--he's never been one to simply rehash former successes, even when circumstances forced him to do so--but it sure sounds like it wasn't clicking for him. I just hope they don't hand it off to some hack like they just did with The Flash (to be directed by "Cheaper By the Dozen"'s Shaun Levy. Ugh.)
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]! |
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Terrahawk
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
644 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2007 : 5:20:28 PM
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Knowing Whedon, it's probably for the best. While he can be witty with dialog, his outlook tends to be pretty depressing. A Wonder Woman under his direction would have some great lines and be full of angst.
- While science has societal benefits, science is not a social virtue. - |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2007 : 8:19:40 PM
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| Prankster, in your judgement was the best "era" for Wonder Woman comic book-wise? Batman went through various incarnations, his Detective Comics days, Dark Knight returns, and so forth. If there was a specific point in WW's legacy where you could say, "Follow this blueprint and you could make a great movie," what would it be? |
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brandywine
Diocesan Ecclesiarch of the Sacred Order of Jabootu
56 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2007 : 6:25:39 PM
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| Whedon's a decent writer but his ego makes me dislike him, and his internet groupies make me hate him. Or maybe it was Buffy's Junkie Whore Willow (Marti wrote it but he let it air) telling us Magic is Bad, mmmkay?, followed by sweet-hearted Tara getting shot because LIFE SUCKS AND YOU WILL ALL DIE MISERABLY!!!!!, followed by the pronouncement that he was giving me what I needed not what I wanted, which struck me as being a little sanctimonious and pretentious when your claim to fame is a vampire sitcom. |
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Prankster
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
727 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2007 : 5:26:52 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by zombiewhacker
Prankster, in your judgement was the best "era" for Wonder Woman comic book-wise?
Good question. In fact I've read very few WW comics, and in fact that's kind of the problem: there doesn't seem to be a single, classic run of the comics. There seems to be some fondness for the late 70s/early 80s run...was that with Perez on art?...but that's it.
But that doesn't change the fact that I *still* think she's a potentially interesting character. In fact, I think a movie version could be the one to really lock down the various ideas and produce something great. I mean, if you'll recall, Superman was a bit of a mess too until Christopher Reeve. The ingredients were there, but the movie is what really locked down the "crucial" aspects of the character and made it hang together in a logical way. Then that became the springboard for people like John Byrne to tinker with him. That's kind of what I was hoping would happen with a WW movie--use some of the basic ingredients, but tie them together in a new, less ridiculous (but still lighthearted) way.
When I can, I'll link to a whole essay I did on this topic. Betcher sorry you asked now!!
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]! |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2007 : 03:51:13 AM
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| Agreed. She is a potentially interesting character... but I don't think most filmmakers in Hollywood would have the skill to pull her off. Look what they did to Catwoman. And Supergirl. And Batgirl. And Electra. In fact, correct me if I'm wrong, there hasn't been a successful adaption of a superheroine on the big screen yet... unless you want to count (cough cough) Storm. |
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jackspencerjr
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
262 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2007 : 3:41:06 PM
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Well, Wonder Woman was always little more than a female Superman on the surface. Beneath the surface, she was a platform for various facets of human sexuality, particularly the kinky stuff. Hence why she was tied up every other month and stuff like that.
Personally, I think a movie about the character should be true to this aspect of the character. Otherwise, she's just Supergirl-- Superman in a dress. |
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Matrixprime
Diocesan Ecclesiarch of the Sacred Order of Jabootu
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2007 : 7:04:33 PM
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First, fun bit of info for those who didn't know - Marvel has been reprinting their old and 'fan favorite' runs in $16 black and white softcover phone books. You get about 20 issues or more. It worked so well, DC started, and now Image has been doing it to (so far with Savage Dragon and Spawn).
I've collected for a long time now, and what I don't care enough to collect I research the heck out of. I am a fast reader, and when I'd see the little '*' and then the note (see X-Men 100) I'd track that down to read it too.
I never really glommed onto DC much though; where Marvel they run the gamut (and have some truly lame-o powers, like Boom Boom, Dazzler, Jubilee, Stilt Man, etc) in DC you'r5e either a Batman style (peak human) or demigod.
To that end, I've never been surprised that the DC characters don't translate as well to the big screen, other'n Batman (at least in my opinion).
As someone noted, Wonder Woman's creater was a kinky person, and her original incarnation was his outlet for it. From there, they've constantly tweaked her into a Superman level character, and gave her a tough no nonsense attitude (other than the cartoons, where she was confused by the world of 'men'). Prior to Infinite Crisis, she snapped a mans neck to stop him from dorking around with Supermans mind.
In a movie it would be difficult to pull off without being Superman in a thong. She's never had an outfit that wasn't basically a bathing suit. I think she was beefed up too, because otherwise she was a martial combat expert with a rope that made you tell the truth. which Batman had (it was regular rope, but he hung you from a building). her rogues gallery is likewise all about the T&A - Dr. Psycho is a mysognistic midget, Cheetah (sexy woman who is possessed by a cat spirit), Giganta (Big breasted genius who can change size at will. She lives on an island of sexy amazon women, and her biggest allies are Donna Troy and Wonder Girl, who are also done up as sexy women (but granted, dressing a bit warmer).
There's a lot of potential to the character and they've finally moved beyond it; in the recent cartoons, its been hinted that she has a fondness for Batman, and in the new JLA comic she is being given depth and variety (I recommend it and the new JSA series to anyone). In the new Wonder Woman series, it appears she's decided to redeem herself and opted to live life as a human (though a Superspy kinda one...) which means they can develop the character beyond the T&A.
So to me, a movie that sticks to the char, even if done right, would consist of a bunch of scantily clad, large breasted women, tearing each others clothes off and smacking each other with cars (instead of pillows).
Now, that might not be something I'd be adverse to watching....as a 5 minute skit or whatnot, but not 2 hours. All joking aside, Dead or Alive wasn't too far off from that idea (and with a comparitively realistic setting) and look at how well it was advertised and received.
Bah Weep Granna Weep Ninny Bahn - Universal Greeting
Est Solarus Oth Mithas - Solamnic Knight Pledge
And now its me too:
http://matrixprime.blogspot.com |
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jackspencerjr
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
262 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2007 : 7:12:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Matrixprime
... it appears she's decided to redeem herself and opted to live life as a human (though a Superspy kinda one...) which means they can develop the character beyond the T&A.
Wow. They actually brought back that failed experiement from the 70's? Is I-Ching around this time? |
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Matrixprime
Diocesan Ecclesiarch of the Sacred Order of Jabootu
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2007 : 7:27:05 PM
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Jack, as best as I am aware, yes. I'm in an odd comic period at the moment; I collected comics from about 1985 to 2000, and quit because of rising prices. I just started again recently. For the most part, I used to collect everything but DC; couldn't get into the setting (in brief - where marvel and other imprints adapted with the times, DC seemed to keep the overall setting it had from the beginning). I started collecting again last year due to new Transformers Comics and Infinite Crisis, and oddly found myself now collecting mainly Ultimate Marvel (the hardcover collections) and, for the first time, DC.
From what I know though, I-Ching is involved, the outfit is a direct reference to the one from the 70's, and she's going by that era's secret identity. After Infinite Crisis Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman took a year off. In that time Wonder Girl 'adopted' the name and armor of Wonder Woman.
Which, to tie into the thread - it occurred to me that part of the reason for delays/etc is due to the reboot Infinite Crisis gave. Playing off what I do know, Amazon Island left, Wonder Woman's mother was killed, and the gods have withdrawn from Earth. Infinite Crisis kicked off after they announced they were starting the movie, so it probably dragged issues out on 'which' wonder woman would be in the movie. Modern one is a bit more realistic, 90's one is more violent, and earlier ones were T&A. So they had enough problems; then IC had her kill someone and become Public Enemy, and her backstory was rebooted, which would annoy anyone.
As Whedon tends to lace his scripts with angst and pop culture references (so says a big fan of both Buffy and Angel) his script was probably more in line with the violently tilted Wonder Woman; to continue that and still keep the script topical (relative to the last few years of comics) he would've had to cram in a LOT of exposition just to pick it up.
Since she never had a real detailed past, it would be more difficult to do a Year One like with Batman Begins.
Besides; I thought about if after I logged, and her Rogues Gallery blows. As it is, DC has a higher ratio of Crap villains. the ones I mentioned are the primary ones, and they all are related to other heroes too. It would be difficult to make a serious script without inventing a new threat for the movie.
Bah Weep Granna Weep Ninny Bahn - Universal Greeting
Est Solarus Oth Mithas - Solamnic Knight Pledge
And now its me too:
http://matrixprime.blogspot.com |
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Prankster
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Canada
727 Posts |
Posted - 02/18/2007 : 01:08:41 AM
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This is the essay I mentioned earlier: [url]http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=sewerchewers&id=1179[/url]
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Check out my online comics at [URL]http://www.phantasmictales.com[/URL]! |
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tam1MI
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
558 Posts |
Posted - 02/18/2007 : 01:34:40 AM
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| At the risk of bringing shame and disgrace onto myself in these quarters forever and ever for suggesting this, I'd always thought a tweaked version of the first season WONDER WOMAN TV series (the one starring Lynda Carter) would be a good basis for a movie. To wit: That Amazon Island is a place that is aware of the outside world but chooses to remain apart from it until the Nazi threat rears it's ugly head, so the Amazon Queen sends her daughter Diana to aid the allies in combatting the threat. The filmmakers could maybe even try for a pulp feel to the movie (going this way could also be away to solve "the costume problem" that seems to plague so many superhero movies and apparently has dogged around WW). Certain parts of the TV show would obviously have to go (the Lyle Wagonner character - UGH!!!), and the cheese factor would have to be cut down on, obviously, but I think it could work. |
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Matrixprime
Diocesan Ecclesiarch of the Sacred Order of Jabootu
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 02/18/2007 : 6:09:10 PM
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No shame in that....a good era-themed movie would be rather entertaining, using movies like Indiana Jones and the first segment of Hell Boy as templates.
I wonder how well WW would stand as a main char though; the TV show, as memory serves, was real hokey, and even in her own comic she's a supporting character.
I'm starting to think that the only way a WW movie would ever work would be if it was animated, allowing more heroes than a live action movie would.
Bah Weep Granna Weep Ninny Bahn - Universal Greeting
Est Solarus Oth Mithas - Solamnic Knight Pledge
And now its me too:
http://matrixprime.blogspot.com |
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