Hobbit to direct Fantastic Four?

[ReaperFett]

http://www.superherohype.com/fantasticfour/index.php?id=694


For The Return of the King release, brazilian journalist Rodrigo Salem from SET Magazine, the biggest movie magazine in Brazil, went to New York and talked a bit to Sean Astin about his next projects. Can you imagine what it is? I tried to translate part of the interview. You know, the part that really matters. Here it goes:

SET: You were highly praised over your short movie The Long and Short of It which is in The Two Towers DVD. Do you have any plans of directing something bigger?
SEAN ASTIN: Oh, yeah! I always wanted to act and direct with the same intensity but only now I've found the way to get to directing. Right now I'm running to be the director of this US$ 100, US$ 130 million movie which the studio wants to release in the end of 2004 and it has a huge effect in pop culture. I got a meeting scheduled but I can't talk about it yet.

SET: Is it a comic book adaptation?
SA: You figured it out, huh?

SET: You're running for the director's chair of Fantastic Four, right?
SA: Yes.

SET: You've got some pretty heavy competition ahead of you. I heard Steven Soderbergh is interested and that he was offered the job by the studio specially because he could bring George Clooney as Reed Richards.
SA: Yeah but I'm a friend of George Clooney too (laughs). I think he would make a perfect Reed Richards.

SET: And who would be your Human Torch?
SA: Oh, he's right over there. Orlando Bloom.

And that's that. I don't know if you remember but a few months ago some sites reported that Astin was actually seen at a comic book store buying quite a lot of Fantastic Four comics. Guess he was making his homework. I just hope he picked some of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby books. And John Byrne's. And some Mark Waid/Mike Wieringo too. I didn't know Soderbergh was even on the run.

Oh, and just so people don't think I'm full of it, they can click Agalaxia.com.br and check the scanned page of the magazine.

Astin recently directed the short "The Long and Short of It" and has helmed episodes of "Jeremiah" and "Angel".
Love how everyone wondered who he'd be playing, and he actually was doing research for direction :)


Bloom for Torch? Heck no, please no. The day he shouts flame on is the day I want to light myself.


I'd personally go:

Clooney for Reed
Rebecca Romijn Stamos for Sue (I think this ones sealed)
Sean Patrick Flannery for Johnny MAYBE (Unsure here)
Michael Chiklis for Thing

Ralph Fiennes or Jude Law for Dr Doom
Hugo Weaving for Namor

Hey Dasq, how about if they kept the original Human Torch? Remember his acting skills? :D

[Dasquian Belargic]

Hey Dasq, how about if they kept the original Human Torch? Remember his acting skills?

Keep the whole cast! That movie was priceless!!

[ReaperFett]

Even Comandant Lassard as the University lecturer! :D



BTW, am I the only one who didn't know Sean Astin's dad was the original Gomez in the Addams family?

[Syo]

I never saw the other FF movie, I was never a big fan of the FF i was more a spiderman and hulk kind of kid


but I am really looking foward to this movie

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I didn't know Sean Astin's dad was Gomez. Of course, I just called him "Sam Astin" so...^_^;

[Jedi Master Carr]

I don't think Astin could do it seriously. I heard a rumor Steven Sodenberg might direct it which would work and have Clooney as Reed. I personally go for Jeremy Irons or Gary Oldman as Doctor Doom they have better voices to pull of Doom (since he will be in a suit of armor for about the whole film. I say Charlise Theron for Sue. Not sure about Johnny maybe Sean Astin could play Grimm, I say its possible.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Or they could just stop making a movie for every popular comic book imaginable. I guess I'm the only one who is hating this trend.

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by Grev Drasen
Or they could just stop making a movie for every popular comic book imaginable. I guess I'm the only one who is hating this trend.
Yeah, because they're all so alike, right? THat Punisher movie is a dead rip of Spider-Man!


That's like saying LOTR, Troy and King Arthur shouldnt all come out. Why not? Don't like it, don't go see it.

[Droo]

Originally posted by Grev Drasen
Or they could just stop making a movie for every popular comic book imaginable. I guess I'm the only one who is hating this trend.

I totally agree. You're not alone in your loathing of the comic to movie trend. I absolutely adore the X-Men series but apart from that, everything else fails to leaves a lasting impression. It's become such a cash cow trend and is so blatantly obvious now that it's laughable. Hulk tried to be different but it actually turned out to be below par in terms of appeal on a long term, just like all the others; they are one night stand movies to me and only X-Men 1 & 2, Batman 1 & 2 and Superman 1 & 2 are my true loves, as it were.

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by Dru
It's become such a cash cow trend and is so blatantly obvious now that it's laughable.
Yeah, terrible when they make movies people want to see. Get back to making those arthouse movies three people with small beards will see!


There will be tonnes of romantic comedies next year. Many horror slash-em-ups. Tonnes of crime movies. Few spy movies no doubt. Decent number of Teen comedies. So why is it that comics should be seen with such disreguard? What is the connection between Hellboy and SPider-Man? Woo, they started in comics! That's like comparing LOTR and Starship Troopers.

[imported_Akrabbim]

Hehe... funny thing is, if Orlando were the torch, he'd be even more flaming than currently. :)

But how 'bout the kid who plays Iceman as the torch? He looks about right.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Originally posted by ReaperFett
Yeah, because they're all so alike, right? THat Punisher movie is a dead rip of Spider-Man!
Uh, no. They shouldn't be made because there's only a select group of comics that can translate well onto the big screen. Then when studios see the success of those films they want to grab up every recognizable character and make it into a blockbuster hit.

Characters like the Hulk have no business being translated to the big screen because the character is simply too unrealistic. I think he was depicted accurately in the film but that doesn't mean it didn't look stupid. Some characters only work in the comics and have no business being translated into a movie.

I'm in full support of films like Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Punisher, & I even thought the X-Men was done well. After that they begin to start milking comics dry just for money.

Comprehend before you post. I never said there shouldn't be any comic book movies, I'm just loathing this trend that's developing which involves studios wanting every comic book hero that may be recognizable to the general public to be made into a movie.

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by Grev Drasen
Uh, no. They shouldn't be made because there's only a select group of comics that can translate well onto the big screen.
Matter of Opinion. There are a wide range of comics available, not just those you know of. Road to Perdition is a comic movie y'know?


Characters like the Hulk have no business being translated to the big screen because the character is simply too unrealistic.
Just as much business as anything else. How's it different from Vampires, wolf-man or Frankenstein's monster?


Some characters only work in the comics and have no business being translated into a movie.
No business?

I'm just loathing this trend that's developing which involves studios wanting every comic book hero that may be recognizable to the general public to be made into a movie.
Road to Perdition, From Hell, Blade, Mask, Hellboy, Man-Thing, Powers, Deathlok...these are recognisable?

What has happened IMO is that comics are now being seen as a viable source for good movies. And with the improvement in CGI, ANYONE is now possible to use.


And remember, the point of making movies is to make ones that people want to see. If people want to see the F4, let them see the F4. If they don't, it wont sell.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Wait a half second - Road to Perdition was a comic book?? :huh

[ReaperFett]

Yeah. Not a lot of people know that :)

Single volume graphic novel from 1998.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

From Hell as well - isn't that the Johnny Depp "Jack the Ripper" movie?

[ReaperFett]

Yeah, think that's it. Definately a Depp movie.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah that was too, I think Alan Moore did those series. Also I disagree with you about the Hulk being unrealistic. How is it any difference than people having special powers and can use lightsabers in a galxay far far away. Or people using magic in Harry Potter. It is fantasy and in a fantasy world anything and I do mean anything is possible. The Hulk didn't work because they tried something too different a thinking action film, that doesn't work in the summer time. The Hulk could have been done better and it would have made more money. I don't have a problem with this trend it is no different than going after the fantasy genre and buying up every property there ( and they have there have been some obscure stuff that I have never heard of bought up by studios) to me it is no big deal and some of the projects (X3, F4, a good Captain America movie, Batman, Superman, SM2) I want to see.

[imported_Akrabbim]

I'd personally love to see a Green Lantern movie. And I'd prefer Kyle Rainer as the Lantern. The main reason is that he's creative with his constructs. He doesn't make crappy beams or hands, he makes giant sumo wrestlers, or Godzilla, or a green Cadillac to fly through space with. That, and he doesn't have the dumbest weakness I've ever heard of... the color yellow.

But that's just me, I suppose.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I would like to see a GL movie don't know what DC is doing with their stuff they should have done a Wonder Woman movie by now instead they are making that Catwoman crap.

[Syo]

I am loving the whole comic book trend being a big fan of comic books and i think they aqdapt very well to the screen and are fun, entertaining and fullof fantasy.

I own on DVD Blade, Blade II. Daredevil, Flash Gordon (haha theres a comic book movie nobody is mentioning ala 1980), Hulk, LXG, Road to Perdition, X-men, and X-men 2


and i would love to get all the superman and batman dvds

[JMK]

Comic book moves are a trend. Like most trends, people get fed up of them, just at a different pace. I'm not fed up yet, but I'm sure I will get sick of them as I'm sure that anyone who isn't a fan-boy will eventually be sick of them too. Studios know that this niche of culture is hot now, so it should come as NO surprise to anyone that they will milk every last penny out of it for as long as they possibly can. Eventually there will be no more comic books to adapt to film and the fad will fade away. They are cash grabs. Plain and simple hence the reason why every potentially bankable character is getting their own movie but if you don't want to watch them, then simply avoid them. It's not hard to avoid a movie if you don't have any interest in it.

[ReaperFett]

I've got Blade, X-Men, X-Men 1.5, X2, Spider-Man, The Mask, LXG, Hulk SE box, The Mask, Daredevil and Mystery Men. Then I have DVDs of the Daredevil appearences in Marvel cartoons and the X-Men one that came before X2 was released.

[JMK]

Slow down when typing dude, you said that you have The Mask twice. ;)

[ReaperFett]

I might actually have it twice, I'll check :)

EDIT - No :)

[JMK]

:lol

[ReaperFett]

Don't laugh, I do have repetitions of DVDs! :)

[Syo]

I think i might laugh too that seems awefully silly

although i have the theatrical versions of both lotr's movies as well as the extended versions



and ya know what trend i am tired of 70's tv shows being made into movies

did ya see the trailer for starsky and hutch good lord help us all

[Sejah Haversh]

DC needs to stop, just flat-out stop attempting to translate their comics into movies.

Look at the Catwoman atrocity if you need further proof.

As much as I'd like to see a Green Lantern movie, I don't think it should ever happen. I like Hal better than Kyle because he had class, integrity, and the heroic ideal. Kyle has a couple of fancier pencillers, and Image to compete with. Hence the better ring constructs. But, a Kyle movie would ahve to reflect on Hal being the previous Lantern, and the desctruction of the Corps, and a whole lot of other factors.

That, and honestly, how exciting would a movie be that is 80% CGI ring construct? Not very. And if they had Kyle vs. Sinestro, that would be wholly unnaceptable.

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by Sejah Haversh
DC needs to stop, just flat-out stop attempting to translate their comics into movies.

Look at the Catwoman atrocity if you need further proof.


I think the problem is DC is owned by Warner. Marvel hands them out to those who want the movie, Warner try to work out how to use a name to sell a different movie.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Actually DC hasn't made any movies in almost a decade the last being the horrible Batman and Robin. WB has had trouble getting Superman off the ground they do have a new Batman coming out which looks awesome. Catwoman I think is just a mistake Catwoman is not big enough to get her own movie. They should have done Wonder Woman instead that is one comic that is screaming for a movie. GL could make a good film as long as they stick to him on Earth (too hard to do the space stuff). Flash and Aquaman are maybes.

[JMK]

I'm surprised that no one has jumped at optioning the Silver Surfer yet. I guess it won't be long before that comes out.

[ReaperFett]

Carr, WB also made Steele and JLA :)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120207/


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118365/


Don't forget Birds of Prey (Butchering a great comic) as well. Track record to match no other :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

JLA was a TV pilot that thank god never saw the light of day. I don't count it like I don't count the old FF movie. Steel I rather ignore besides wasn't it made around the same time as Batman and Robin? Steel is the same problem as Catwoman a minor comic book character that doesn't deserve the movie plus casting Shaq in the lead role was the mistake. Bird of Prey well it was an ambitious idea that just fell apart. Look at JL on CN that is a great show I say it is 3 times better than the X-Men Evolution on Kids WB. I think they are doing good with Batman and if they get the right director could make a great Superman movie. Not sure about the other proprities.

[ReaperFett]

JLA I have seen on TV three or four times :)

F4 I have on my comp, a CLASSIC :D

[Jedi Master Carr]

Maybe they just banned it here in the US, I thought it was like the F4 something you could only get at fan conventions or dowloading.

[ReaperFett]

Well I've seen it, so it's definately been finished fully. Must have been cut at the last minute. It's bad, so bad.

It's worse than Generation-X even, and that's terrible! Never thought I'd dislike Emma Frost and Banshee so much :D

[Jedi Master Carr]

Generation X was horrible I sat through that tv-movie.

[ReaperFett]

I never managed it. Think I got up to when they're eating ice cream or similar :)