Comic Book Movie News

I’m always a little wary of announcements that comic book properties are being adapted into films – especially when the comics in question are superhero books. It’s not much a stretch to take something like History of Violence or Road to Perdition and translate that compelling story to film that will be accepted and generally appreciated.

Make your story about a grown man dressing up like a bat and film makers can start flaying all about. Sometimes the result is an an enjoyable film, other times were left with a train wreck of cinema.

Luckily, the quality and sophistication of films based on superhero comics seems to be trending in the right direction. More solid storytelling and less train wreck. Hopefully that will continue.

Of all the new projects announced by Warner Brother (DC Comics) and Marvel, these are the ones that I are grabbing my initial interest

GREEN LANTERN (release: December 17, 2010) – Green Lantern has always been one of my favorite DC heroes. There will be a direct to DVD animated film starring GL later this year that I am anxious to see, but a live-action flick could be a lot of fun also. I really believe that depending on how Warner Brothers decides to handle Green Lantern in his feature film debut, GL could be Warner’s Iron Man – a character driven sci-fi adventure with a broad appeal.

IRON MAN 2 (release: May 7, 2010) – I thought the first film was fantastic action flick that didn’t sacrifice character. All the principles are coming back for the second film. I expect a film as good or better than the first one.

THOR (directed by Kenneth Branagh, July 16, 2010), THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA (May 6, 2011), THE AVENGERS (July 15, 2011) – I’m not really interested in these characters/properties, I just think Marvel should be commended on their ambitious approach to bringing their characters to the big screen. They are financing/developing all these movies themselves. They did will with Iron Man and Incredible Hulk, will the trend continue?

SUICIDE SQUAD (no release set) – WB announced that they’re developing a script based on this DC Comics series that would bring together villains and fallen-heroes for Government-sanctioned missions so dangerous that it may kill them, but that’s it so far. Why I like the idea of this film being made is that it would probably compel DC Comics to start release collections of John Ostrander’s excellent run of the series. (They haven't done that to date) I really don’t care if the movie is any good if the end result is I can pick up some quality comics.

Samuel Jackson signed a 9-movie deal with Marvel Studios to play Colonel Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., in a series of Marvel movies that include Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers and its sequels.

Damn. 9 movies.

Again, you have to admire Marvel’s ambitious approach to adapting their stable of characters to the silver screen. They lock up Sam Jackson because they plan on creating all of these movies and wanting to build some continuity of character across properties. I really wish DC Comics/WB could pull together a comprehensive plan like that.