Warner Bros has inked a new Wonder Woman deal...

Started by Shogunn2517, October 02, 2010, 03:43:33 AM

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Shogunn2517

Only coming soon to a television near you...

QuoteWonder Woman headed to TV with David E. Kelley
by James Hibberd & Borys Kit | October 1, 2010 at 3:00 pm | View Comments

Wonder Woman is still heading to the screen, but instead of coming to a theater near you, the Amazon princess is returning to television.

Warner Bros. Television is developing a modern-day reboot of the classic DC comic book heroine and has lassoed an unlikely talent to potentially write and produce the superhero project: David E. Kelley, the showrunner behind legal dramas such as "Ally McBeal," "Boston Legal" and "The Practice."

The news comes after nearly a decade of attempts by Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver to launch a big-screen version. Actresses ranging from Angelina Jolie to Beyonce Knowles to Megan Fox have thrown their hat in the ring for the starring role at one time or another.


In 2005, Warner Bros. announced Joss Whedon would write and direct the film adaptation. But Whedon said he never ended up being able to finish the draft, and two years later left the project (he's back in the superhero world, though, prepping "The Avengers" for a winter shoot).

"They just didn't like my take," Whedon said at the time. "It's pretty simple."

Any new "Wonder Woman" won't likely have an easy road to the small screen either.

Though the 1975-79 TV series starring Lynda Carter remains the most memorable version of the character in pop culture, major networks have struggled to make female-driven action series work beyond superhero shows work beyond NBC's "Heroes." NBC's "Bionic Woman," which was likewise best known for its 1970s TV version, and could haunt attempts to get a series launch, and Fox's "Dollhouse" struggled during its two seasons on Fox.

But if any place exists for a female-driven superhero series, it would be in TV land not film. While movies like "Daredevil" spin-off "Elektra," starring Jennifer Garner, bombed on the big screen, the small-screen has been home to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," a character which first failed as a movie, and "Alias," the spy series which starred Garner.

Warner Bros. had no comment.


lugaru

You know I actually like David E. Kelley, but he seems an odd choice for this sort of project. I tend to associate him more with large quirky casts rather than a central character. Still I will give it a shot if it ever makes it to TV's.

steamteck

Oh well... I still have her excellent showings in the DC animated features.

steamteck

"But if any place exists for a female-driven superhero series, it would be in TV land not film. While movies like "Daredevil" spin-off "Elektra," starring Jennifer Garner, bombed on the big screen, the small-screen has been home to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," a character which first failed as a movie, and "Alias," the spy series which starred Garner."



That's just drek. Look at the Underworld stuff or Resident Evil seems pretty female driven to me. Only a hollywood analyst could think it would be different because it was a superhero rather than a non costumed superhuman. the idiots just learned the wrong lesson but better to not try at all than to get things right.

catwhowalksbyhimself

Neither of those movie series, however, while successful, are near the super blockbusters that they now expect out of superhero movies and major blockbusters.  Prince of Persia, for example made a lot more than either of those but was considered a dissappointment and will likely not get a sequel because it was planned as a major blockbuster.  That's what they're thinking here.  If it doesn't make 500 million in the box office they don't want it, even if it makes 200.  That's why their are no plans for any more Incredible Hulk movies even though the last one was a big money maker--it didn't make as much as Iron Man or the recent Batman films so it's still considered a failure.

Hollywood execs are really wierd, in other words.
I am the cat that walks by himself, all ways are alike to me.

Talavar

But it also comes down to cost vs. returns - the Resident Evil and Underworld movies are relatively cheap, at least when compared to most superhero movies.  For example, Iron Man's production budget is listed as $140 million, the Dark Knight's as $185 million, the Incredible Hulk's as $150 million - but none of that includes marketing costs, which add millions more. 
Compare those to Underworld's budget, which is listed as $22 million. 

If a movie costs over $200 million between its 'official' budget and worldwide marketing costs but then makes $200 million back, it's not really a financial success; if a movie costs 30 million and makes 60 million back, it's great.

And then there's the matter of perception: the first Iron Man came out of relatively nowhere and made $300+ million and was seen as a huge success; its sequel made $300+ million and was seen as underperforming in many quarters.

catwhowalksbyhimself

Yes, but the Underworld movies were not made as huge blockbusters and not budgeted as such.

And with the weird way that hollywood expectations work, a movie can still net millions and yet be considered a major dissappointment. The Hulk movie, for example, did make money after all expenses.  A LOT of it, but not as much as Iron Man, so it gets dropped in favor of other superhero movies that they hope will rake in even more.

So I think that's what's happening with Wonder Woman.  They think other superheroes stand the chance of making a lot more money.  Sure as a medium budget affair like those other female centric adaptations, it could make money, but that's not what they want out of superhero movies, they want big budget box office smashers.
I am the cat that walks by himself, all ways are alike to me.

lugaru

I would agree that TV has been kinder to the female action star than movies have... also think Dark Angel, Dollhouse, Xena... these where all big budget for TV, no doubt.

In movies only Angelina seems able to be a full "action blockbuster star" while everyone else is relegated to B movies and damsels that sometimes fight back.


Podmark

I don't know what Warner has planned for this project, but I'd take a TV show over a movie any day.
That said I have little interest in Wonder Woman.
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Ares_God_of_War

I think Wonder Woman would make an interesting miniseries. I think it would get kind of stale after a while as a full blown series and probably get canceled before it's story was told.
"That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange eons even death may die."

steamteck

 OK so its rationalized drek, but its still drek just combined with idiot expectations. It puts less money ultimately in their pockets and fewer movies I would watch personally.

I'm not saying I don't understand that's the way it is. I'm just venting how stupid it is.

Mr. Hamrick

I've a different take on this.

To date, the biggest issues with doing a Wonder Woman movie have been THE SCRIPT and CASTING WONDER WOMAN.

I've said for a while that I am not sure that Wonder Woman IS castable currently.  This is based on a number of factors.  The biggest of these factors is the fact that in order for a big budget film like this to get green lit then there is going to have to be a "marquee name" attached.  Most of the female names that would be able to get such a budget on a film either are a) not interested, b) too old, c) not capable either from the acting side or the physical side, or d) not right for the role based on various factors.  Some of the actress that might could do the role would not merit the kind of budget that the film would deserve. 

The script.  There have been some floating around Hollywood for a while now.  Most of them probably suck.  The ones that don't are probably too much of a period piece or do not really do any sort of merit to the character.  Let's be honest here, though, the writing on the comic is not luring readers in either. 

Thus, the dangers of doing a film like this with a character that most people are "familiar with but really don't know" is too big of a risk. 

Doing it for television has a lot of advantages.  It establishes a concrete "mainstream" fan base.  Now before anyone here gets their knickers in a bunch,  (Steamteck, Benton, Cat, the rest of you)  by mainstream I'm meaning building the same kind of fan base that a show like Smallville has plus creating a more generalized awareness of who the character is.  Another advantage is in the casting.  It is easier to get an unknown cast into a TV role and get them established than it is in a film role.  It's not impossible on film but it's easier on television.  As for the script, you're not dealing with the confines of a two-hour movie.  And down the road, you can do a feature and use the series as your backstory even if a different actress is playing the lead.

I am still hesitant to say the role is capable of being cast.  Just mostly due to the way most casting directors behave.  They are going to look at the look of the actress usually over what the character should look like.  Unless you a really good actress who does her research into the role and knows what she needs to be to do the character justice going into it.

steamteck

You actually make some good points but using Smallville as an example did make me cringe.

catwhowalksbyhimself

Yeah, Smallville really isn't very popular.  On any other network, it would have been dumped a long time ago.
I am the cat that walks by himself, all ways are alike to me.

lugaru

I'll be honest, I have not given Smallville the attention it deserves but I hate the modern overpowered wonderwoman so TV might tone her down into a character I can care about.

Also I dont feel she has been that well explored as a character and you know TV writers will get her out of her shell... sometimes I feel the animated wonder woman is deeper than the comic one.

Trelau

I hope they actually make her as powerfull as superman. This tv show has no other purpose than introducing WW to a all new generation (not everybody saw the linda carter version) so that they will go see the movie version in a few year.
So there's  a lot of chance that the tv show version and the future movie version will look a lot alike. And for the sake of the future Justice League movie, i want Wonder Woman to be able to kick superman's arse if needed.

Mr. Hamrick

Quote from: Trelau on October 06, 2010, 09:18:31 AM
I hope they actually make her as powerfull as superman. This tv show has no other purpose than introducing WW to a all new generation (not everybody saw the linda carter version) so that they will go see the movie version in a few year.
So there's  a lot of chance that the tv show version and the future movie version will look a lot alike. And for the sake of the future Justice League movie, i want Wonder Woman to be able to kick superman's arse if needed.

I'd definitely pay to see Wonder Woman kick Brandon Routh around.  Maybe she can beat some sense into Bryan Singer too! Grrr. 

steamteck

#17
BTW Resident Evil Afterlife has done 239 million worldwide so far. Budget was just under 60 million. 200 million of that is foreign interestingly enough.

Incredible hulk made about 263 million with a 150 million  budget

That's a pretty good return both ways

Talavar

Quote from: steamteck on October 06, 2010, 11:10:11 AM
BTW Resident Evil Afterlife has done 239 million worldwide so far. Budget was just under 60 million. 200 million of that is foreign interestingly enough.

Incredible hulk made about 263 million with a 150 million  budget

That's a pretty good return both ways

Add unspecified marketing costs of millions more - which isn't included in a film's budget - and the Incredible Hulk starts turning into a squeaker of profitability.  It got over the line, but probably not by that much. 

Resident Evil and the Underworld were both examples of good returns on investment - that's why they keep making them.  But if a Wonder Woman movie ever gets made, it won't be for $60 million.

steamteck

Quote from: Talavar on October 06, 2010, 12:40:13 PM
Resident Evil and the Underworld were both examples of good returns on investment - that's why they keep making them.  But if a Wonder Woman movie ever gets made, it won't be for $60 million.

True enough although sometimes I wonder where the money in these things goes relatively speaking. The ptroducts often don't look as different as their budgets would indicate. I get the star power expednditure but FX and action sequences etc. I'd often  guess the wrong one had the bigger budget. Definately true in the script department

lugaru

Believe it or not comfort is a big expenditure. This includes:

Shorter work days (so more days are required)
Better acomodations (cost multiplied by more days)
More staff (so people dont feel overworked)
Convenient location (why movies are often made in foreign countries even though everyone lives in hollywood and NY)
Etc.

Every time you find a cheap movie the interviews will be like "We put in 14 hour work days in the antartic and got it wrapped up in 5 weeks".

But yeah, thank god for Resident Evil (I LOVE the first one btw) and Underworld. Past movies with strong female leads like Long Kiss Goodnight (where Samuel Jackson is usually the damsel in distress) and La Femme Nikita. Hopefully it will become more common, but TV is still a kinder place for women right now (I feel).

BentonGrey

Quote from: Trelau on October 06, 2010, 09:18:31 AM
I hope they actually make her as powerfull as superman. This tv show has no other purpose than introducing WW to a all new generation (not everybody saw the linda carter version) so that they will go see the movie version in a few year.
So there's  a lot of chance that the tv show version and the future movie version will look a lot alike. And for the sake of the future Justice League movie, i want Wonder Woman to be able to kick superman's arse if needed.

Bah.  I've always hated the overpowered Wonder Woman.  She should be a bit stronger than Aquaman, basically in the tier below Supes and MM.  She's got other things going for her besides just strength.
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murs47

Quote from: BentonGrey on October 06, 2010, 03:39:28 PM
Bah.  I've always hated the overpowered Wonder Woman.  She should be a bit stronger than Aquaman, basically in the tier below Supes and MM.  She's got other things going for her besides just strength.

Yeah she does...giggidy.

BentonGrey

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Alaric

Quote from: BentonGrey on October 06, 2010, 03:39:28 PM

Bah.  I've always hated the overpowered Wonder Woman.  She should be a bit stronger than Aquaman, basically in the tier below Supes and MM.  She's got other things going for her besides just strength.

I disagree. I've always thought of Wonder Woman as being in the same general level of strength as Superman, MM, and Captain Marvel, but with far less resistance to injury than any of them.
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steamteck

Quote from: Alaric on October 06, 2010, 04:15:57 PM
Quote from: BentonGrey on October 06, 2010, 03:39:28 PM

Bah.  I've always hated the overpowered Wonder Woman.  She should be a bit stronger than Aquaman, basically in the tier below Supes and MM.  She's got other things going for her besides just strength.

I disagree. I've always thought of Wonder Woman as being in the same general level of strength as Superman, MM, and Captain Marvel, but with far less resistance to injury than any of them.

I always felt she was a bit less powerful but way more skilled and that let her be competative. Not to be Benton light here but JLU got it pretty right. Also did pretty well on the  general power level. Very impressive but not invincible.

Shogunn2517

Oh... My... #%!&&!@... GOD!!!!  What in the #@$$ are they thinking!!!?

Quote from: deadline.comWONDER WOMAN Goes on NBC After All
In spite of reports from a few weeks back that all networks have passed on David E. Kelley's Wonder Woman TV show, Deadline.com reported on the weekend that NBC has reversed it's decision and picked up the show after all.

The initial "rejection" was more due to an executive shuffle at the net then an lack of interest. Now that entertainment president Bob Greenblatt has settled in, he went ahead and greenlit the show.

According to Deadline, "The project is described as a reinvention of the iconic D.C. comic in which Wonder Woman -- aka Diana Prince -- is a vigilante crime fighter in L.A. but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life."

catwhowalksbyhimself

Okay--that ain't Wonder Woman.  It isn't necessarily a bad concept for a TV show, but call her something other than Wonder Woman, because she ain't.
I am the cat that walks by himself, all ways are alike to me.

Panther_Gunn

Sounds more like a description of a female Batman (not any of the Batgirls/women) than Wonder Woman.  I'm surprised they just didn't push this through on CW.  I could stomach this if they, in a season or less, reveal that she's really an Amazonian, with some kind of amnesia, and steer it towards the more iconic WW every one knows.

Yeah, I know, not holdin' my breath.
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JeyNyce

Quote"The project is described as a reinvention of the iconic D.C. comic in which Wonder Woman -- aka Diana Prince -- is a vigilante crime fighter in L.A. but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life."

That would fit Black Carney better than Wonder Woman.
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