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ABC Dramedy Vet Greg Berlanti To Direct DC Comics’ Big-Screen FLASH??
I am – Hercules!!
IESB says Greg Berlanti is the frontrunner to direct “The Flash,” based on the DC comic books about The Fastest Man Alive.
If this sounds vaguely familiar, Warner Bros. years ago attached Berlanti to write and direct a movie based on The Flash’s Justice League cohort The Green Lantern. (Berlanti was ultimately replaced as director of “Green Lantern” by Martin Campbell of “Goldeneye” and “Casino Royale” fame, who subsequently ordered a rewrite of Berlanti’s script by Michael Goldenberg of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” fame.)
I’m guessing that somebody at Warner Bros. LOVES the little-seen 2000 gay romantic comedy “The Broken Hearts Club,” the only directorial effort from Berlanti to find its way onto screens to date. How does this qualify Berlanti to direct a superhero movie? Perhaps we’ll learn if and when the long-in-development “Flash” finally hits cinemas.
Berlanti is better known for scripting numerous TV dramedies, among them “Dawson’s Creek,” “Young Americans,” “Everwood,” “Jack & Bobby,” “Brothers & Sisters” and “Eli Stone.” The only one of these I thought funny enough to stick with was “Everwood,” which to my eyes and ears got a whole lot funnier the year Berlanti got busy with the awful “Jack & Bobby.”
After Campbell came aboard “Lantern,” Warner shifted Berlanti to direct the big-screen Heigl/Duhamel dramedy “Life As We Know It,” which comes out at the end of this year.
Find IESB’s story on the matter here.
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Already gave us a gay Superman movie. Do we really need a gay Flash movie as well?
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Barry Allen gifted police scientist, brilliant genius and winner of numerous awards, age: 21. What a mess.
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Can't believe he hasn't done a superhero film yet.
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Is Flash going to use illogical vocabulary Dawson's Creek always used as well: Dawson-Dad, Im trying to get back to the basics of being a kid. What the fuck does that mean and ahy was that show so successful?! Fuck this news.
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Are you for real?
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What a fucking joke. I'd even take Bryan Singer over this dude. Why are they being so dumb about this?
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So, just as fanboys are up in arms about Marvel likely casting Captain America with an actor fresh out of the 90210 zip code, DC is getting ready to destroy Flash with a writer from Dawson's Creek. Not everything has to be Twilight.
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But at least favreau had directed zathura to really prove his chops for iron man.
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the superhero is never fucking a chick- unless he's iron man. It always about a secrete idenity. they wear elaborate costumes. Even we they dress down they try to look sharp or geared for the role. Superheros are gay as hell. Xmen flicks were very gay. Joker is the only character in the new batman you believe would savage a snatch to bust a nut. At some point people will see these films for the sexually repressed closeted gay flicks they really are. tony Strak fucks, the rest suck, well wait the hulk flicks were about the pussy. Alpa loves the pussy!
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i tried.
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Swingers, Made, Elf: funny. Brothers & Sisters: not so much.
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Whos the fuck that did Crank. Pair him up with the 24 show scribes and there you go.
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"And sometimes I turn on the TV!"
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and gorillas. Giant talking gorillas. And ice. Someone who's worked with ice. Get that guy.
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Fastest man alive!
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This is why Barry came back.
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My guess would be former WB exec Kevin McCormick. He just segued into producing as of 1/1/2010 and he held as much sway over everyone else at WB as Robinov. He's also "mentored" much of the new velvet mafia through their "formative" Hollywood years. Thought Berlanti was shitty for GL, still think he's shitty for Flash. Former cop Barry Allen has easiest origin to tell but looks like they're heading towards Jay Garrick, which means bad costume helmet /w wings. Personally love it on the page but think it'll be ridick on the screen.
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Berlanti is one of the most respected young producers in TV -- you can knock his teen drama credits, but he ended up going from staff writer to showrunning Dawson's Creek in his 20s and has spent the past decade sneaking in issue-oriented TV into soapy famy dramas. The man's consistently had a handful of pilots every season since his DC days. He's also a bona fide superhero fan. In addition to Lantern (which was a solid script before the re-writes), his current ABC pilot starring Michael Chiklis is also about superheroes (and done in a smart, grounded way). As for his directing chops, obviously Warners loved what they saw on the Heigl flick-- but if you're expecting a gay Flash just because Berlanti is gay, you should consider the guy's rep first.
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"has spent the past decade sneaking in issue-oriented TV into soapy famy dramas."
If only he'd devoted as much effort sneaking entertainment into them. -
He directed CONGO and EIGHT BELOW. Giant gorillas and ice. Money.
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nipple rings and a gimp outfit
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and the article does say that WB was impressed with his prep work for GL.
I think concerns here are the same for whenever any director with little effects experience is given a big movie like this (which did seem to affect his gig with GL.) Also, it's about matching a filmmaker's style with that of what a Flash movie would need. -
I'm not sure of the statistics, but I feel like 93% of the film stuff you bring us makes me want to cream out my window in primal rage. Are you enjoying yourself, sir?
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That's a bingo!
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And they have to give him a crack at something because otherwise they'll have to pay him for nothing. Taking him off GL only delayed the inevitable. This asshole has to direct something, otherwise WB is out some cashola. Nice business decision, assholes.
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what you expel out your window is your business. And your neighbours too of course.
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Herc-- most of Everwood, S1 of Eli Stone, Season 1 and a half of Brothers & Sisters, and most of Jack&Bobby were all critically acclaimed and for good reason. Berlanti is a half-notch below JJ Abrams in the TV world. He doesn't have the directing reel, but as a writer/producer, he's the real deal.
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I was very happy to send you a guy who hit those specific requirements. If they ever made a PLANET OF THE APES in Russia, I'll be sure to let you know.
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Sure he sneaks issues into soapy dramas. That's awesome for the CW. Tell me what the FUCK he knows about action films? That's great that he has a handful of pilots every year...which ones exactly get picked up every year? The GL script wasnt bad...ONLY thing made me think he mightve had it in him but then you try and justify his directing skill with a HEIGL flick. That's when I knew you have no idea what you're talking about.
WB EXEC: "Hey! We have a movie we can make about the 'Fastest Man Alive!'
Exec 2: 'I Love IT! It'll be action packed and kinetic and exciting!'
Exec 3: 'I know! Let's give it to the guy who just directed the latest Heigl Flick!'
Everyone Else: 'You're Fucking Fired!' -
Cream out my window. Hehehe.... I'm far too shy to do that. I'd be afraid that a bird might take a liking to me too...
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or on ice.
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If you have a problem with the awesomeness that is Brothers and Sisters then I will continue to condemn you for dismissing this and How I Met Your Mother. Seriously dawg, YOU BREAK MY... HEART! Fuck Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston owes Jon Hamm his EMMYS, AND BA BA BOOEY TO YOU ALL!
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you are totally right. Every studio has these kinds of deals. It's the explanation for every time people say "why did HE get it?" BC the studio had to pay them anyway, so might as well make them work for it...
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Have you seen his prep work on GL? I haven't, but Warners was high on it. I don't think Katherine Heigl is a good actress, but a studio movie is still a studio movie. Can he do action? Unless you've seen the test work he's done for Warners, neither of us have any idea. But as someone who works in TV, I'm trying to give a little perspective. Warners is high on him for a reason. Is he the #1 pick I'd make? No. But he, like JJ and Ryan Murphy before him, is making a push from TV to features and of course Warners wants to be in business with that. And FYI, of those pilots, most have made it to series. He had 3 shows on ABC at once for 2 seasons prior to this and NO ORDINARY FAMILY starring AICN-fave Chiklis (and about *gasp* superheroes) is likely to get a series order come May. We'll see if he can handle an FX-heavy action flick, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.
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Well, if getting a director already budgeted for helps this movie get a greenlight, that's one positive aspect of this arrangement. But it also tells me that WB has an expectation that THE FLASH will be (at best) a middle-tier box office performer. They're relying strictly on brand recognition, they'll probably get some 20-something TV hunk to take on the lead and hope and pray to drop under $100 million on this movie. It's a conservative business model, but it limits their chances of making a serious moneymaker.
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I would love to see The Flash(Wally West or Barry Allen version) standing in line at the bank. He starts impatiently tapping his foot and soon he's tapping it at super-speed as a kid in line notices and looks on in awe. Right at that moment,the wall to the bank EXPLODES and Gorilla Grodd comes charging in. As Flash pops the ring and changes into his costume,we're treated to a 30 sec. explanation of his origin and BOOM-the movie begins at super-speed. Just please powers that be...dont give us a long drawn out origin story that involves Hero A fighting Villain B to save Generic Love Interest C. If any movie needs to move fast,fast,fast its this one!!!!
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WB must have seen the news and Speedy Gonzales and fast tracked this project.
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"but a studio movie is still a studio movie"
Is the guy who directed "The Squeakquel" available? He has studio movie FX experience!
It aint about FX or studio movie experience, its about the experience you're known to bring to the project. Sure, once you've done a studio movie you enter a new category bc "you can be counted on to deliver within budget." But that needs to be whittled down further into sub genre categories. Comapre to JJ all you want but after "Felicity" he followed with "Alias" and "Lost" which proved he could do action and mystery. No such proof from Greg. I think Greg is a fine talent, just saying Im not sure he's right for this. For the next Heigl movie, absolutely. -
He gets his powers in ONE NIGHT after combining lighting and chemicals (not by his choosing). And yes, it shouldn't take too long at all to figure out how to run fast!
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Seems like the new studio trend is grab an unknown and give them a 1/3 of the budget they'd normally allocate and see if lightening strikes. I'm all for a new strategy to stop making overblown superhero films, but this is swinging from one extreme to another. It's like they have a two modes, all out and small & quiet. Find a fucking middle ground already.
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Hill--You're right, Berlanti is not at JJ's level yet... JJ was directing episodes of TV before anybody handed him MI3. But most of the kneejerk reactions on the board NOT from you miss the fact that he's A work on what some people conider B-level genres (teen shows, family dramas). Look at every good superhero movie of the past decade. Are the bad ass XFX and set pieces what make them great? Or is it the fact that the character work, dialogue, and story has finally risen above schlock? That's why I think a director with a strong character-driven writing background is a good call. He also didn't just get thrown off Lantern. He got bumped out for a higher profile director, but he's stayed involved heavily on GL (and probably learned a few things from Campbell). I'm not gonna defend a Katherign Heigl movie--she's awful-- but cutting your teeth on a studio flick is still a great warm up. Time will tell if Berlanti can handle this, but it's also a fourth-tier property for Warners, it's not like they're handing him Batman. Judging by the reactions from the rest of the board so far, they probably WOULD prefer the director of the Squeakquel... at least Betty Thomas has a shitty action flick (I Spy) on her resume. Me, I'll take the guy who knows character and trust Warners has made sure he's up for the action stuff.
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Hill--You're right, Berlanti is not at JJ's level yet... JJ was directing episodes of TV before anybody handed him MI3. But most of the kneejerk reactions on the board NOT from you miss the fact that he's A work on what some people conider B-level genres (teen shows, family dramas). Look at every good superhero movie of the past decade. Are the bad ass XFX and set pieces what make them great? Or is it the fact that the character work, dialogue, and story has finally risen above schlock? That's why I think a director with a strong character-driven writing background is a good call. He also didn't just get thrown off Lantern. He got bumped out for a higher profile director, but he's stayed involved heavily on GL (and probably learned a few things from Campbell). I'm not gonna defend a Katherign Heigl movie--she's awful-- but cutting your teeth on a studio flick is still a great warm up. Time will tell if Berlanti can handle this, but it's also a fourth-tier property for Warners, it's not like they're handing him Batman. Judging by the reactions from the rest of the board so far, they probably WOULD prefer the director of the Squeakquel... at least Betty Thomas has a shitty action flick (I Spy) on her resume. Me, I'll take the guy who knows character and trust Warners has made sure he's up for the action stuff.
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That's what it's called, in the contract. It's reported that Tim Burton and Nick Cage made millions off their aborted Superman film.
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Not us, that's for sure.
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Did you just use this guy's work on Eli Stone as a plus for him? I'll be honest with you I never really followed Dawson's Creek or seen any of the other shows you mentioned but I did see the first episode of Eli Stone. And it was wretched.
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...because they'd water down poor "racist" Speedy so much, The Flash would run all over him!
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Well I heard he did some good work on The Shield but for comic book experience I believe he was almost universally panned as the diminutive Thing in those Eli Stone-level in wretchedness FF movies. Man I'm liking this word - wretched.
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That AIN'T cool!The guy played the best-looking live-action Joker on screen AND his Dad's the O.G. Chekov, for God's sake! Show some love and respect... :(
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More fun than Superman at this point.
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And how the hell did Ron Perlman not get that gig? His entire carreer has been leading up to that role. No one in Hollywood mixes bad-assitude with deep melancholy like him. Look up early Lee-Kirby FF, the scenes with Thing walking in the rain alone and stuff, Perlman was born to play that. In addition Ron Perlman is a tough old school NYC jewish guy like they don't make anymore just like The Thing is.
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I think it's Herc, maybe just Capone who has a (much justified) love of Chiklis in the Shield. His superhero role in Berlanti's new pilot is closer to that than the Thing... ie. a grounded normal dude who happens to be more bad ass than most. Your mileage may vary on the Eli pilot--I (and a lot of TV peeps whose opinions I respect) thought it was one of the best pilots of 2007. To sappy for some, maybe. Anyway, I'm done with the Talkbacks--I was just trying to ease some fanboy worry about this decision. Berlanti is a rising star in Hollywood, he loves comics, he's not aiming to fuck up Flash or make it part of some gay agenda. Maybe he won't have the action directing chops... but I like the guy's chances. Even on a shitty teen drama, you don't go from staff writer to showrunner in a season without having a sick learning curve. Good luck, Flash fans-- I think you'll be fine.
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with the Flash figure though? Man-E-Faces?
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...but I don't want that shot being at Flash. He's one of my favorite comic heroes from my childhood and I think it could be done a lot better with someone of a little more visual oomph to his credit. This might look like a more expensive though less expansive version of the early 90's TV show, and I don't think we need that. Give this man something else to run with.
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In all fairness... the pilot for Jack and Bobby was one of the best written series premieres I've ever seen. Once it went to series though... ugh.
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In all fairness... the pilot for Jack and Bobby was one of the best written series premieres I've ever seen. Once it went to series though... ugh.
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In all fairness... the pilot for Jack and Bobby was one of the best written series premieres I've ever seen. Once it went to series though... ugh.
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... that's embarrassing.
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Not that that's embarassing. It is, but that's not the point. Jack and Bobby had a great pilot that promised a very interesting series ahead. It fell apart quickly. But because of that pilot, I think this guy can and should be able to handle a major property. But I just don't see The Flash suiting him. I think this character deserves the likes of an Alex Proyas or a Paul Verhoeven. This character requires a strong visual style and a sly sense of humor to be carried off properly and I don't think this guy has it in him. I'd like to see him try his hand at something in a horror genre before letting him be made for the comic-to-film jackpot.
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for a WB family melodrama...
just sayin' -
3rd fastest man alive.
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..but for Treat Williams. I fucken love that guy. When are we going to see him reprising a 'critical Bill' type role... when oh when oh when. You ate dookie? "It was only a little bitty bit. didn't taste of nothin' really. spongy."
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I kid, I kid.
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bring up. but not in this context:
"But at least favreau had directed zathura to really prove his chops for iron man"
zathura was horrible! so was elf! So why can't berlanti do a good job with flash like favraeu did with iron man! and while I'm not the biggest gay advocate in the world, putting down directing skills because of orientation is horrible!
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Let's see: grown men in peak physical condition who lead double lives and have secret identities who like to dress in tight, colorful, flamboyant outfits, whose main social outlet is running around the city (dark alleys, strange hangouts and/or lairs) at night beating up and/or wrestling other men with similar issues? Yeah, it's not hard to see the gay there.
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Porter or Krasinski could work for this movie...I'm hoping DC is over the "making our movies dark like batman" thing because there can be a little more humor injected into characters like Lantern and Flash.
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... and I mean you assholes. Surf the entire Internet and you'd struggle to find bigger idiots than the posters of AICN. Homophobes, ignorants and ridiculous losers that have the laughable notion that they have a clue of what they're talking about. Now that's out of the way, I hope this is the real deal, Flash couldn't be in better hands.
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Damn tell us how you really feel.
I would assume that your name is a reference to Donner's "Superman" The note that supes sent lois, but I could be wrong.
Either way, I have no idea why you think that this WB Network writer is a good idea for a super hero movie, to do The Flash right you really have to have some grasp of the science behind the fiction. Like Flash vibrating matter so fast that he can pass through solid objects....moving faster than the sounds around him...faster than the light the travels to his eyes...I am not sure that writing "The Creek" prepares you for that. -
I think the studios are crazy if they think all of these secondary characters (secondary in my opinion) are going to work as stand-alone movies. They need to stay on track with this new Man of Steel, Nolan's Batman and much like Smallville (which I loathe) build the other hero characters into those movies. For sure, Man of Steel should be laying the foundation for a Justice League mega flick.
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First off, I'll apologize to anyone who doesn't fit the category I criticized, I was a tad mad. For the rest though, I mean it. The writer's gay, so the character will be portrayed as gay. Brilliant rationalization.
Second, I don't see why the Flash movie should be a lesson in physics. One should be a physicist to write the Flash? I'm sure the comics are enough reference. Then, Berlanti has done much more after Dawson's Creek. That was years ago. He's a fine and very competent writer with lots of experience, not in superheroes and action, sure, but in story generally. That's what I'd like in the film, and it's the major requisite for any film. There are FX specialists and stunt coordinators, but he, as a writer experienced in drama - drama in the general sense -, has it where it counts. -
The former TV series Barry Allen was Dawson's dad on DAWSON'S CREEK after all.
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and keeping a close eye on the script, im pretty sure all the sciency stuff will be handled!
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I mean....it's the fuckin' Flash. "Ooooh, I can run fast". What the fuck ever.
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Flash isn't just a runner. He can spead-read and vibrate his molecules through solid objects among other things.He can pull a train on Iris... BY HIMSELF!!
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Feb 26, 2010 11:53:03 AM CST
Him being gay aint gonna make Flash gay, but if he has an agenda
by hey_kobe_tell_me_how_my_ass_tastes
Like what Singer had in his superhero movies - I mean Magneto and all his cronies were gay, and Superman wore a GD gay pride outfit, then yeah, it could be a problem.
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A movie about a guy who runs so fast you can't see him. wtf.
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Feb 26, 2010 12:42:36 PM CST
User_name: Yeah, just like all those comics where you can't see
by spyguy
Oh, wait...You can.
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If this guy has a new pilot every year that means that a) his shit looks great on paper; b)When filmed, his shit looks like shit. So saying that his prep work on GL was good means that he was only following the pattern of looking talented before anything actually gets filmed.
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He's just trying to get to the Blue Oyster bar before happy hour ends.
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With a CCH Pounder cameo after the credits!. "Digger Harkness, my name is Amanda Waller. I'm putting together a Squad." "Sounds like suicide." "It may be, at that."
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So this is kind of a step in the right direction. and didn't this guy have his hands on Green Lantern for a while, too, or write the screenplay for it or something?
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Fixated much?
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I still feel one of the best comicbook adaptions was the FLASH TV show. It was very well done & kept in a serious vein for the most part. This new guy can do well by basing the movie on that show.
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Is the script based on that? I don't know as much about this as I should. And I would have had my GL question answered if I had just kept reading, sorry.
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Yes the last news on Flash was that Johns wrote a treatment and that Dan Mazeau (Jonny Quest movie) was writing the script.
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I've heard worse news. Pretty hard to fuck up something Johns did, I'd think. (hope I didn't jinx it)
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Shut DEFACK® up. Yeah bitch.
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All this noise about homosexual directors lacking instinct to do superhero adaptations are completely unfounded.Ang Lee wouldn't turn the Hulk all wimpy... oh, wait!Bryan Singer wouldn't project his gay issues on the X-Men or his adoption issues on Supes... oh, wait!Joel Schumacher wouldn't put nipples or a cod piece on the batsuit... oh, wait!Hrm. Maybe we *do* need directors of superhero movies to have a minimum testosterone level after all. Do ask, do tell!
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Ang Lee is not gay. He just likes 'em in his movies is all!
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With his recent promotion, Johns will be all over this shit, and all DC movies.
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He's admitted that no interest in making an effects-heavy movie - see the YouTube video when he's talking about his Green Hornet script
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..besides awesome and original speed effects, that is. 1) Use the subplot that while Barry is the "Fastest Man Alive", he's always late for every appointment due to his superheroing, and characterized as a "slowpoke" because of being late all the time. I just always thought that was a nice, ironic in-joke is all. 2) Use the damn ring that shoots out his expandable costume. It's just cool. Okay, that's it.
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....I can't think of any ONE Flash villain that'd be considered his ultimate nemesis. He's always had this vast gallery of rogues. I guess Zoom is the worst, craziest one. Or Abra Kadabra, who works great in comics but would be stupid onscreen. Same goes for Gorilla Gradd? A talking gorilla?? Forget that! Let's just hope it won't be Turtle Man or Big Sir and cross our fingers.
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Flash was always one of my faves and I don't want anyone to think I got that wrong... I'm just terrible at typing is all.
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Feb 27, 2010 1:28:49 PM CST
"And how the hell did Ron Perlman not get that gig?"
by jaylenotookmyjob
Chiklis was cheaper and was already working for FOX. This is Rupert Murdoch's (penny-pinching, Aussie, wingnut, dirtbag) company we're talking about here after all.
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...leave out all that stupid-ass "Speed Force" b.s.! Of course it can be metioned that Flash's speed is somehow powered by strange extradimensional forces, but leav it at that. All the Speed Force stories just got to be so much mystical bollocks over the years.
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How else does this guy's name keep popping up for these movies even though he's so unqualified? Please WB, do not screw up The Flash. He's my third favorite DC Superhero right behind Batman and Supes, and I want to see the movie done by someone who IS PROVEN TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE AN ACTION MOVIE!
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