Wonder Woman Speculation
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Missing you....
Whedon Signs For Wonder Woman
Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon has signed on to write and direct the movie version of Wonder Woman, Variety reported. Producer Joel Silver first confirmed that he was in talks with Whedon to helm the Warner Brothers feature film in an interview with SCI FI Wire last month.
Silver and Leonard Goldberg will produce the live-action feature, based on the DC Comics character created by William Moulton Marston. No start date has been set, the trade paper reported.
Whedon created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ran for seven seasons on The WB and UPN, based on his screenplay for the 1992 feature film of the same name.
Whedon also created the spinoff series Angel and penned screenplays for Toy Story and Alien: Resurrection.
He's completing post-production on Serenity, which he wrote and directed based on his canceled Fox TV series Firefly, the trade paper reported.
Update from Comingsoon.net:
"Wonder Woman is the most iconic female heroine of our time, but in a way, no one has met her yet," Whedon said. "What I love most about icons is finding out what's behind them, exploring the price of their power. When Joel and I began discussing the character, I realized there is a woman behind the legend who is very fascinating, very uncompromising, and in her own way, almost vulnerable. She's someone who doesn't belong in this world, and since everyone I know feels that way about themselves, the character clicked for me."
SOURCE
Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon has signed on to write and direct the movie version of Wonder Woman, Variety reported. Producer Joel Silver first confirmed that he was in talks with Whedon to helm the Warner Brothers feature film in an interview with SCI FI Wire last month.
Silver and Leonard Goldberg will produce the live-action feature, based on the DC Comics character created by William Moulton Marston. No start date has been set, the trade paper reported.
Whedon created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ran for seven seasons on The WB and UPN, based on his screenplay for the 1992 feature film of the same name.
Whedon also created the spinoff series Angel and penned screenplays for Toy Story and Alien: Resurrection.
He's completing post-production on Serenity, which he wrote and directed based on his canceled Fox TV series Firefly, the trade paper reported.
Update from Comingsoon.net:
"Wonder Woman is the most iconic female heroine of our time, but in a way, no one has met her yet," Whedon said. "What I love most about icons is finding out what's behind them, exploring the price of their power. When Joel and I began discussing the character, I realized there is a woman behind the legend who is very fascinating, very uncompromising, and in her own way, almost vulnerable. She's someone who doesn't belong in this world, and since everyone I know feels that way about themselves, the character clicked for me."
SOURCE
I don't know much about her, just the academic descriptions and vague childhood memories of the show.
She's an Amazon princess, later defined as being gifted by the Greek Gods, yes? So she's like Hercules, a demi-god. Amazon royalty.
That's like Superman to me, hard to relate to.
Joss will do his best to humanize her. Buffy was sort of "recruited" into Slayerhood as a teen. Gifted, like Peter Parker. Had a chance to start out as a mere mortal. Diana Prince is royal, gifted from birth. Tough assignment for Joss. Should be a lot of fun!
I guess the sense of alienation will play a part, like he was sayin.
She's an Amazon princess, later defined as being gifted by the Greek Gods, yes? So she's like Hercules, a demi-god. Amazon royalty.
That's like Superman to me, hard to relate to.
Joss will do his best to humanize her. Buffy was sort of "recruited" into Slayerhood as a teen. Gifted, like Peter Parker. Had a chance to start out as a mere mortal. Diana Prince is royal, gifted from birth. Tough assignment for Joss. Should be a lot of fun!
I guess the sense of alienation will play a part, like he was sayin.
He could do a lot worse than following the advice in this article -
An Open Letter To 'Wonder Woman' Director Joss Whedon
Just a few words of advice ... from a fan.
To: Joss Whedon
From: Larry Carroll, MTV News
Re: The new gig
Joss,
Congratulations on your recent selection as the director of Warner Bros./DC Comics' next superhero flick, "Wonder Woman" . After a lengthy courtship, producer Joel Silver took one last look at your "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Firefly" genre credentials and decided to make you his date for the prom. Sit back, put your feet up, and feel free to pat yourself on the back.
Done? Good, because now it's time to panic. Do you remember "Elektra," "Tank Girl," "Supergirl," "Catwoman" or "Barb Wire"? Hopefully, the answer is "no," because the sad fact is that female superheroes have never worked on the silver screen, and many believe that they never will.
Now that the dotted line has been signed, you've inherited the most iconic of female heroes, a character that has captured the imagination of comic-book fans ever since she was suggested by a psychiatrist concerned with the unbalanced messages that male-dominated comics send. We already think of Wonder Woman as the female Superman, a member of the Super Friends who spawned a classic live-action show in the '70s and came to embody the feminist movement to the point where she appeared on the cover of the first issue of Ms. Magazine. It's a lot of pressure, but don't sweat it: As a fan of the movies and of comics, I've made a list of ways you can make the Golden Lassoed goddess work:
Cast Wonder Woman, Not Just A Famous Woman - Halle Berry, Alicia Silverstone and Jennifer Garner may have been riding red-hot careers when they were cast, but they were all woefully inappropriate for the suits they inhabited. True Elektra fans knew that she was an olive-skinned Greek woman who would most likely possess an accent. Catwoman geeks knew that the name Patience Phillips meant nothing to them, and that her back story would probably mean even less. Batman loyalists are still rubbing their eyes to try and erase the image of Silverstone shoehorned into that Batgirl suit. Casting an actress who is physically appropriate and then holding on for dear life to the character details shows the fans that you intend to take seriously that which means so much to them.
Don't Waste All Your Creativity On The Uniform - Pam Anderson looked great in that Barb Wire outfit; Halle Berry was every bit as sizzling in that ripped-apart cat suit. If either had been simply selling something in a magazine, we surely would have bought it. But an actress needs to deliver lines, emote, and it sure would be nice if she could make us care about her character. Give the character a soul-baring monologue, a revealing moment of self-doubt, maybe some clashes with the everyday world that surrounds us. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, but just be sure that you always ...
Take The Legend Seriously - Spider-Man's Aunt May making an off-the-cuff reference to Superman? Funny stuff. Richard Pryor upstaging our hero with slapstick? Disrespectful. Comic books are our modern-day mythologies, permitting us to dream about powerful derivations of ourselves who will protect, amaze and point us in the direction of virtue most of the time. When we buy a movie ticket, we want to be immersed in a superhero's story while feeling as though that hero could be walking among us. Humor is welcomed as long as it is appropriate. Many of our favorite heroes (Wolverine, Flash) have gotten us through tough times with their senses of humor. Putting nipples on the Batsuit, or throwing in Rob Schneider as a smart-mouthed sidekick, is the modern-day equivalent of an ancient Greek writing a play that has Zeus passing gas on his Mount Olympus throne.
Keep Your Wits (And Your Roots) About You - You were hired, Joss, because your "Buffy" so brilliantly walked the tightrope between camp humor and credibility for seven memorable seasons. With the exception of that musical episode, you can simply glance back at those old formulas to achieve that "X-Men"-type combination of not veering too far toward the camp that sank "Batman & Robin" or the self-importance that dragged down "Hulk."
Treat Your Woman Like A Man - As an icon of feminism, all Wonder Woman has ever wanted is equal opportunities. Don't pander to the Oprah crowd to get women into the theater; but don't skank her out for the "Maxim" readers, either. Ignore her gender and concentrate on making a great superhero movie.
Listen To The Woman Who Nearly Was Wonder Woman - "I talked about it at the beginning with Joel Silver, before the script was even written," Sandra Bullock said recently. "I said if it goes in this direction I'd like to do it, if it goes in this direction I don't feel comfortable doing it. It's more interesting when the superheroes are human. You see the antihero and you see the cracks in the veneer. I don't think, as human beings, we can relate to a true superhero, that's why Spider-Man does so well, that's why Batman does so well, because they're fraught with pain and insecurities and human elements rather than being invincible. Being invincible is uninteresting "” who can identify with that?" Make her bleed. 'Nuff said.
When In Doubt, Go To The Source - One of the "Catwoman" writers toiled on Bill Cosby's sitcom ... the lame one from the '90s. At the time of "Barb Wire," one of its writers was best known for the Charlie Sheen clunker "Navy SEALS." You have 60-plus years of classic Wonder Woman plotlines to plunder as you see fit "” if somebody suggests hiring the writer of "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" to do a script polish, run away as fast as you can. There are at least two comic book shops on the same street as the Warner Bros. lot "” let me know if you want me to MapQuest directions for you.
Best of luck, Joss "” a lot of us fans are hoping you can deliver an instant classic and bring us all to Paradise Island. Oh, and please, give your security guards a headshot of Sharon Stone and tell them to tackle her if she gets anywhere near your set.
"” Larry Carroll
SOURCE
An Open Letter To 'Wonder Woman' Director Joss Whedon
Just a few words of advice ... from a fan.
To: Joss Whedon
From: Larry Carroll, MTV News
Re: The new gig
Joss,
Congratulations on your recent selection as the director of Warner Bros./DC Comics' next superhero flick, "Wonder Woman" . After a lengthy courtship, producer Joel Silver took one last look at your "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Firefly" genre credentials and decided to make you his date for the prom. Sit back, put your feet up, and feel free to pat yourself on the back.
Done? Good, because now it's time to panic. Do you remember "Elektra," "Tank Girl," "Supergirl," "Catwoman" or "Barb Wire"? Hopefully, the answer is "no," because the sad fact is that female superheroes have never worked on the silver screen, and many believe that they never will.
Now that the dotted line has been signed, you've inherited the most iconic of female heroes, a character that has captured the imagination of comic-book fans ever since she was suggested by a psychiatrist concerned with the unbalanced messages that male-dominated comics send. We already think of Wonder Woman as the female Superman, a member of the Super Friends who spawned a classic live-action show in the '70s and came to embody the feminist movement to the point where she appeared on the cover of the first issue of Ms. Magazine. It's a lot of pressure, but don't sweat it: As a fan of the movies and of comics, I've made a list of ways you can make the Golden Lassoed goddess work:
Cast Wonder Woman, Not Just A Famous Woman - Halle Berry, Alicia Silverstone and Jennifer Garner may have been riding red-hot careers when they were cast, but they were all woefully inappropriate for the suits they inhabited. True Elektra fans knew that she was an olive-skinned Greek woman who would most likely possess an accent. Catwoman geeks knew that the name Patience Phillips meant nothing to them, and that her back story would probably mean even less. Batman loyalists are still rubbing their eyes to try and erase the image of Silverstone shoehorned into that Batgirl suit. Casting an actress who is physically appropriate and then holding on for dear life to the character details shows the fans that you intend to take seriously that which means so much to them.
Don't Waste All Your Creativity On The Uniform - Pam Anderson looked great in that Barb Wire outfit; Halle Berry was every bit as sizzling in that ripped-apart cat suit. If either had been simply selling something in a magazine, we surely would have bought it. But an actress needs to deliver lines, emote, and it sure would be nice if she could make us care about her character. Give the character a soul-baring monologue, a revealing moment of self-doubt, maybe some clashes with the everyday world that surrounds us. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, but just be sure that you always ...
Take The Legend Seriously - Spider-Man's Aunt May making an off-the-cuff reference to Superman? Funny stuff. Richard Pryor upstaging our hero with slapstick? Disrespectful. Comic books are our modern-day mythologies, permitting us to dream about powerful derivations of ourselves who will protect, amaze and point us in the direction of virtue most of the time. When we buy a movie ticket, we want to be immersed in a superhero's story while feeling as though that hero could be walking among us. Humor is welcomed as long as it is appropriate. Many of our favorite heroes (Wolverine, Flash) have gotten us through tough times with their senses of humor. Putting nipples on the Batsuit, or throwing in Rob Schneider as a smart-mouthed sidekick, is the modern-day equivalent of an ancient Greek writing a play that has Zeus passing gas on his Mount Olympus throne.
Keep Your Wits (And Your Roots) About You - You were hired, Joss, because your "Buffy" so brilliantly walked the tightrope between camp humor and credibility for seven memorable seasons. With the exception of that musical episode, you can simply glance back at those old formulas to achieve that "X-Men"-type combination of not veering too far toward the camp that sank "Batman & Robin" or the self-importance that dragged down "Hulk."
Treat Your Woman Like A Man - As an icon of feminism, all Wonder Woman has ever wanted is equal opportunities. Don't pander to the Oprah crowd to get women into the theater; but don't skank her out for the "Maxim" readers, either. Ignore her gender and concentrate on making a great superhero movie.
Listen To The Woman Who Nearly Was Wonder Woman - "I talked about it at the beginning with Joel Silver, before the script was even written," Sandra Bullock said recently. "I said if it goes in this direction I'd like to do it, if it goes in this direction I don't feel comfortable doing it. It's more interesting when the superheroes are human. You see the antihero and you see the cracks in the veneer. I don't think, as human beings, we can relate to a true superhero, that's why Spider-Man does so well, that's why Batman does so well, because they're fraught with pain and insecurities and human elements rather than being invincible. Being invincible is uninteresting "” who can identify with that?" Make her bleed. 'Nuff said.
When In Doubt, Go To The Source - One of the "Catwoman" writers toiled on Bill Cosby's sitcom ... the lame one from the '90s. At the time of "Barb Wire," one of its writers was best known for the Charlie Sheen clunker "Navy SEALS." You have 60-plus years of classic Wonder Woman plotlines to plunder as you see fit "” if somebody suggests hiring the writer of "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" to do a script polish, run away as fast as you can. There are at least two comic book shops on the same street as the Warner Bros. lot "” let me know if you want me to MapQuest directions for you.
Best of luck, Joss "” a lot of us fans are hoping you can deliver an instant classic and bring us all to Paradise Island. Oh, and please, give your security guards a headshot of Sharon Stone and tell them to tackle her if she gets anywhere near your set.
"” Larry Carroll
SOURCE
Please Joss, make a good female superhero movie! I have faith you can.
A daunting task. The origin story. So much needs to be established to get the ball rolling and the tone just right. Spider-Man, pretty good. X-Men, alright. Superman, great origin story, great movie.
I guess it could possibly have an X-Men feel: the mutant outcast, alienated and yet serving humanity.
A daunting task. The origin story. So much needs to be established to get the ball rolling and the tone just right. Spider-Man, pretty good. X-Men, alright. Superman, great origin story, great movie.
I guess it could possibly have an X-Men feel: the mutant outcast, alienated and yet serving humanity.
S
slayerpower
Guest
doppelgänger2
Meh.
I so agree with Larry, he's got som pretty good advice there. I'm sure Joss is genius enough to already have taken these things Larry pointed out into consideration.
True about Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl in 'Batman & Robin' from 1997. I mean, Barbara Wilson? Wilson. Now I thought that Batgirls name was Barbara Gordon, niece of commissioner James Gordon whom she lived with when she lost her parents in a car accident at the age of eight. And furthermore, a redhead.
My point is: I hope that Joss doesn't make the same misstake as the makers of 'Catwoman' (Patience Phillips? Hello! What's wrong with Selena?), 'Batman & Robin' and all those others screwed up "comic book made into movies".
I could lose so much respect for him if he pulls somehting like that, seriously now...
We're talking friggin Wonder Woman here, as I don't see her as just an extension of superman (and I'm sure a lot of people out there don't either), it is extreamly important to stay true to the story and don't screw it by making the movie into a 2 hour long display of butts and boobs (yes I'm thinking barb wire). But then again, Joss has proven to be able to show strong and powerful women (with depth and flaws and everything) rightfully and not like... Barb Wire...
Casting an actress who is physically appropriate and then holding on for dear life to the character details shows the fans that you intend to take seriously that which means so much to them
Couldn't be more true, Larry.
Treat Your Woman Like A Man - As an icon of feminism, all Wonder Woman has ever wanted is equal opportunities. Don't pander to the Oprah crowd to get women into the theater; but don't skank her out for the "Maxim" readers, either. Ignore her gender and concentrate on making a great superhero movie
Ugh! I love you Larry! This is the bestest advice ever. I think this applies especially on this movie since Wonder Woman was created in the 1940's and seriously now, things were way different back then. Wonder Woman may have worn a tank top and shorts (yes shorts, the hot pants came later), but it's not exactly "Maxim material". Bothering more about the hot bod than the actual story is just wrong.
Ah, I have faith in Joss, but still... please please please...
True about Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl in 'Batman & Robin' from 1997. I mean, Barbara Wilson? Wilson. Now I thought that Batgirls name was Barbara Gordon, niece of commissioner James Gordon whom she lived with when she lost her parents in a car accident at the age of eight. And furthermore, a redhead.
My point is: I hope that Joss doesn't make the same misstake as the makers of 'Catwoman' (Patience Phillips? Hello! What's wrong with Selena?), 'Batman & Robin' and all those others screwed up "comic book made into movies".
I could lose so much respect for him if he pulls somehting like that, seriously now...
We're talking friggin Wonder Woman here, as I don't see her as just an extension of superman (and I'm sure a lot of people out there don't either), it is extreamly important to stay true to the story and don't screw it by making the movie into a 2 hour long display of butts and boobs (yes I'm thinking barb wire). But then again, Joss has proven to be able to show strong and powerful women (with depth and flaws and everything) rightfully and not like... Barb Wire...
Casting an actress who is physically appropriate and then holding on for dear life to the character details shows the fans that you intend to take seriously that which means so much to them
Couldn't be more true, Larry.
Treat Your Woman Like A Man - As an icon of feminism, all Wonder Woman has ever wanted is equal opportunities. Don't pander to the Oprah crowd to get women into the theater; but don't skank her out for the "Maxim" readers, either. Ignore her gender and concentrate on making a great superhero movie
Ugh! I love you Larry! This is the bestest advice ever. I think this applies especially on this movie since Wonder Woman was created in the 1940's and seriously now, things were way different back then. Wonder Woman may have worn a tank top and shorts (yes shorts, the hot pants came later), but it's not exactly "Maxim material". Bothering more about the hot bod than the actual story is just wrong.
Ah, I have faith in Joss, but still... please please please...
S
slayerpower
Guest
Is Joss Right for Wonder Woman?
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/
Buffy creator Joss Whedon will write and direct Wonder Woman. Is he the right man for the job?
Yes! Buffy kicked major vamp! 59%
No! Firefly sucked! 8%
Only if Charisma Carpenter is WW 33%
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/
Buffy creator Joss Whedon will write and direct Wonder Woman. Is he the right man for the job?
Yes! Buffy kicked major vamp! 59%
No! Firefly sucked! 8%
Only if Charisma Carpenter is WW 33%
SlayerThe
My
Yes, he is good at the whole female lead star and hero story, and I think CC would make the perfect Wonder Woman.
pyromaniac
Faith's Sex Slave
He could go two ways with WW, he could do the piss-take movie and bring in the comedic moments and cheesyness of other recent 70s remake films. Or modernise and darken it like many of the recent superhero films. Either way I think he'll do an excellent job.
"Yet Silver has struggled for years to get a Wonder Woman movie off the ground. If anyone could make audiences care about a raven-tressed titan with bullet-deflecting bracelets, it's the guy who pumped fresh blood into a stake-wielding high-schooler. "I hunted him down like a dog," Silver says of Whedon. "He understands the material."
If only the rest of Hollywood did. Most filmmakers can't seem to get a handle on tough women. More likely, they manhandle them, as in those recent twin comic-book disasters known as Catwoman, starring an ill-used Halle Berry, and Elektra, top-billed by a grim Jennifer Garner. Even the femme mutants in the X-Men adventures are strictly second-class misfits.
The crisis in the female action genre stretches beyond the comic-book universe. Consider the cartoony capers of Angelina Jolie as video-game vixen Lara Croft, and Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz as the jiggly gigglers from Charlie's Angels. Their idea of empowerment? Exploiting their own sexuality. As for Uma Thurman's heartfelt avenger in the Kill Bill films, her impact was lost amid showy visuals and carnage.
From The Avengers to Alias, weekly TV has always been a more nurturing arena for strong women, a series staple since the early days of the boob tube. "To me, it is kind of a no-brainer," says TV vet Whedon about converting Wonder Woman into a film. "Then I see these movies with no brains. I never thought about how innovative Buffy was. Having a female as a star shouldn't be a new genre, but it is. I have to accept it as that.""
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-06-23-tough-chicks-main_x.htm
"”Female action heros CAN work. Just look at Ripley, Sarah Connor. The thing is, they had Cameron and super cool sci-fi villains. They weren't the main draw of the films.
Catwoman, Elektra failed at a very basic script, concepting level.
With comic book movies, they need to apply the same formula for female heros that they do for males. First and foremost a solid script that includes cool sci-fi action, and a compelling villain. But also, a stong romance, relationships. Spidey films do massive business cause they appeal to males and females. X-Men films also emphasize a lot of character interaction. Seems like most girls want to see a strong female and dig the action/adventure, but they also like the emphasis on relationships. Most guys want a strong story, but mostly just like to see stuff blow up and lots of asskicking action.
The execs that think a female superhero movie is just about sex are fools. Pitof and Catwoman proved that.
Joss is a master of character, dialogue and twisty, compelling plot. The only thing I'm wondering about is the fisticuffs, the action. Want WW to be a superfun action flick as well.
If only the rest of Hollywood did. Most filmmakers can't seem to get a handle on tough women. More likely, they manhandle them, as in those recent twin comic-book disasters known as Catwoman, starring an ill-used Halle Berry, and Elektra, top-billed by a grim Jennifer Garner. Even the femme mutants in the X-Men adventures are strictly second-class misfits.
The crisis in the female action genre stretches beyond the comic-book universe. Consider the cartoony capers of Angelina Jolie as video-game vixen Lara Croft, and Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz as the jiggly gigglers from Charlie's Angels. Their idea of empowerment? Exploiting their own sexuality. As for Uma Thurman's heartfelt avenger in the Kill Bill films, her impact was lost amid showy visuals and carnage.
From The Avengers to Alias, weekly TV has always been a more nurturing arena for strong women, a series staple since the early days of the boob tube. "To me, it is kind of a no-brainer," says TV vet Whedon about converting Wonder Woman into a film. "Then I see these movies with no brains. I never thought about how innovative Buffy was. Having a female as a star shouldn't be a new genre, but it is. I have to accept it as that.""
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-06-23-tough-chicks-main_x.htm
"”Female action heros CAN work. Just look at Ripley, Sarah Connor. The thing is, they had Cameron and super cool sci-fi villains. They weren't the main draw of the films.
Catwoman, Elektra failed at a very basic script, concepting level.
With comic book movies, they need to apply the same formula for female heros that they do for males. First and foremost a solid script that includes cool sci-fi action, and a compelling villain. But also, a stong romance, relationships. Spidey films do massive business cause they appeal to males and females. X-Men films also emphasize a lot of character interaction. Seems like most girls want to see a strong female and dig the action/adventure, but they also like the emphasis on relationships. Most guys want a strong story, but mostly just like to see stuff blow up and lots of asskicking action.
The execs that think a female superhero movie is just about sex are fools. Pitof and Catwoman proved that.
Joss is a master of character, dialogue and twisty, compelling plot. The only thing I'm wondering about is the fisticuffs, the action. Want WW to be a superfun action flick as well.
Here's a pretty ancient interview from jan, 2000. Maybe it's been posted before. Just had lots of compelling comic-booky goodness....
"The way I saw it, a Buffy series was my chance to make high school horror movies on a weekly basis. I got all excited about doing it, and here we are. I never expected it to spin off into another series and end up consuming my life in the way it has."
In crafting the Buffy television series, Whedon assembled a cast of characters that from the outset seemed like an odd collection of individuals. When examined more closely, however, it becomes clear that Whedon had subconsciously built a super-hero team.
--------------
Lets look.
--------------
We've got Rupert Giles, the mentor; Buffy Summers, a vampire hunter; Daniel "Oz" Osborne, a werewolf; Willow Rosenberg, a witch; Spike, a Wolverine-esque vampire, Anya Emerson, a former demon; and Xander Harris, a wise-cracking sidekick who fills the "Snapper Carr" role.
While Whedon said his interest in comics had waned somewhat in the late '80s and early '90s, it wasn't until after the Buffy television series was on its way to becoming a hit that he realized he'd crated a traditional super-hero team. "I didn't really think about comic-book-ness of Buffy and Angel until recently, when I had a huge renaissance of devouring all the comic books I can find," Whedon said. "Then, I looked back at Buffy and said 'Oh, yeah, well, duh. This was always a comic book.' But early on, I didn't really quite understand how the sensibility of comic books had influenced me. Now, I think it's pretty obvious, when you look at what I've done."
"Someone recently referred to the Buffy-Angel shows as the 'Blade-Hannibal King Block.' I have no comment at this time," Whedon said, laughing.
Whedon's realization that he'd created a comic-book-inspired team of heroes was bolstered by Buffy series writer Doug Petrie, himself a longtime comics fan. "Doug came up in the comics world around the same time I did, and we started going over all the old stuff," Whedon said. "It was Doug who was able to point out that a storyline in Angel was very much like when The Silver Surfer went back to Zenn La and other, shall we say, strikingly similar storylines that were apparently in my subconscious. The two of us spend a lot of time together talking comics--some would say it's an inordinate amount of time--some might even say we waste a lot of time talking about comics. But they give us a wide berth as they pass us by, so we keep talking..."
"...Back to comparing his series to comics, Whedon said he feels that Angel is much more than just a Batman riff, as some critics are labeling it and Angel's assistant Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) hints at it on the show. "I see Angel more in terms of film noir then I ever do of a comics sense," Whedon said. "But, if I had to choose a comic book that fits his ability, it would be somewhere between Batman and Tomb of Dracula with a little E. C. horror thrown in. If I had to choose a super-hero, Batman would probably get the nod. But I didn't go out and say, 'Let's make a Batman.' I wanted to make a good, dark, noir-esque series about a vampire looking for redemption..."
"...With his firmly established love of genre material, Whedon said he has mixed feelings about adapting a comic book to a feature film.
"Every time I see a bad comic-book movie--and, so far, I've yet to see a good comic-book movie--it breaks my heart," Whedon said. "Part of me would really love to do a comic-book movie--Hell, I'd love to do a Spider-Man or Batman. Those things mean a great deal to me and have the potential to be wickedly cool."
"On the other hand, with Alien and even Buffy, I'm getting tired of working in things where 14,000 people own the rights. On Buffy, there are a lot of people who are attached, but I basically can make my own stuff, and that fine. With something like a Marvel comic book, you know you're going to be into heavy interference. I've dealt with that before and I'm not really that anxious to do it again. It would have to be a pretty special deal to make it worth the bother."
http://www.geocities.com/little_wolvie/interviews/Joss-Whedon-article.htm
"The way I saw it, a Buffy series was my chance to make high school horror movies on a weekly basis. I got all excited about doing it, and here we are. I never expected it to spin off into another series and end up consuming my life in the way it has."
In crafting the Buffy television series, Whedon assembled a cast of characters that from the outset seemed like an odd collection of individuals. When examined more closely, however, it becomes clear that Whedon had subconsciously built a super-hero team.
--------------
Lets look.
--------------
We've got Rupert Giles, the mentor; Buffy Summers, a vampire hunter; Daniel "Oz" Osborne, a werewolf; Willow Rosenberg, a witch; Spike, a Wolverine-esque vampire, Anya Emerson, a former demon; and Xander Harris, a wise-cracking sidekick who fills the "Snapper Carr" role.
While Whedon said his interest in comics had waned somewhat in the late '80s and early '90s, it wasn't until after the Buffy television series was on its way to becoming a hit that he realized he'd crated a traditional super-hero team. "I didn't really think about comic-book-ness of Buffy and Angel until recently, when I had a huge renaissance of devouring all the comic books I can find," Whedon said. "Then, I looked back at Buffy and said 'Oh, yeah, well, duh. This was always a comic book.' But early on, I didn't really quite understand how the sensibility of comic books had influenced me. Now, I think it's pretty obvious, when you look at what I've done."
"Someone recently referred to the Buffy-Angel shows as the 'Blade-Hannibal King Block.' I have no comment at this time," Whedon said, laughing.
Whedon's realization that he'd created a comic-book-inspired team of heroes was bolstered by Buffy series writer Doug Petrie, himself a longtime comics fan. "Doug came up in the comics world around the same time I did, and we started going over all the old stuff," Whedon said. "It was Doug who was able to point out that a storyline in Angel was very much like when The Silver Surfer went back to Zenn La and other, shall we say, strikingly similar storylines that were apparently in my subconscious. The two of us spend a lot of time together talking comics--some would say it's an inordinate amount of time--some might even say we waste a lot of time talking about comics. But they give us a wide berth as they pass us by, so we keep talking..."
"...Back to comparing his series to comics, Whedon said he feels that Angel is much more than just a Batman riff, as some critics are labeling it and Angel's assistant Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) hints at it on the show. "I see Angel more in terms of film noir then I ever do of a comics sense," Whedon said. "But, if I had to choose a comic book that fits his ability, it would be somewhere between Batman and Tomb of Dracula with a little E. C. horror thrown in. If I had to choose a super-hero, Batman would probably get the nod. But I didn't go out and say, 'Let's make a Batman.' I wanted to make a good, dark, noir-esque series about a vampire looking for redemption..."
"...With his firmly established love of genre material, Whedon said he has mixed feelings about adapting a comic book to a feature film.
"Every time I see a bad comic-book movie--and, so far, I've yet to see a good comic-book movie--it breaks my heart," Whedon said. "Part of me would really love to do a comic-book movie--Hell, I'd love to do a Spider-Man or Batman. Those things mean a great deal to me and have the potential to be wickedly cool."
"On the other hand, with Alien and even Buffy, I'm getting tired of working in things where 14,000 people own the rights. On Buffy, there are a lot of people who are attached, but I basically can make my own stuff, and that fine. With something like a Marvel comic book, you know you're going to be into heavy interference. I've dealt with that before and I'm not really that anxious to do it again. It would have to be a pretty special deal to make it worth the bother."
http://www.geocities.com/little_wolvie/interviews/Joss-Whedon-article.htm
Xander
You Can Call Me Ash
Going back to enpowered women within the media I think even Ripley isn't enpowered. I haven't seen the film but read about it for my coursework and she strips off doesn't she? On the one hand it could be seen as the enbodiment of women, but on the other it could be a chance to get an attractive woman naked.
But yeah I agree, Buffy is a generally strong woman. Not cause she can kick ass, but because she is just a human being, with strengths and weaknesses. I am sure Joss will make this true for WW as well, I look forward to seeing what he'll do.
But yeah I agree, Buffy is a generally strong woman. Not cause she can kick ass, but because she is just a human being, with strengths and weaknesses. I am sure Joss will make this true for WW as well, I look forward to seeing what he'll do.
Hmm. that's an interesting thought about Ripley. And, maybe the culture reacts to a woman stripping down a little differently than when Bruce Willis, Schwarzenegger or Stallone did in their action flicks. They were perceived as sex symbols as well as masculine heroes.
In the first Alien, it's a pure horror movie. And yes, she's stripped down to her skivvies. Don't remember if there was a plot-related reason or not. Probably Ridley Scott just wanted it that way to make her seem even more vulnerable. In the end, she's the one that manages to survive.
Aliens, the second film, is my favorite in the series. You really should watch if you haven't. It's up there in the top five of all sci-fi/action movies. It has the stock characters that slowly get picked off. And yes, Ripley does strip down"”to a tank top anyway. But that's just 'cause it's like a thousand degrees on this outpost station.
Here she is a true action hero, not 'cause she has superpowers, but because she's very courageous in protecting a child and brilliant in terms of strategic thinking, improvisation in battling the aliens. Here, she occupies the role that had most commonly been associated with men up until that point in cinema.
In the first Terminator, Sarah Connor, like Ripley in Alien, was the the damsel in distress. In T2, she's a badass skilled in combat techniques. I wouldn't be surprised if even subconciously, Joss was influenced by James Cameron and his kick-ass females.
In the first Alien, it's a pure horror movie. And yes, she's stripped down to her skivvies. Don't remember if there was a plot-related reason or not. Probably Ridley Scott just wanted it that way to make her seem even more vulnerable. In the end, she's the one that manages to survive.
Aliens, the second film, is my favorite in the series. You really should watch if you haven't. It's up there in the top five of all sci-fi/action movies. It has the stock characters that slowly get picked off. And yes, Ripley does strip down"”to a tank top anyway. But that's just 'cause it's like a thousand degrees on this outpost station.
Here she is a true action hero, not 'cause she has superpowers, but because she's very courageous in protecting a child and brilliant in terms of strategic thinking, improvisation in battling the aliens. Here, she occupies the role that had most commonly been associated with men up until that point in cinema.
In the first Terminator, Sarah Connor, like Ripley in Alien, was the the damsel in distress. In T2, she's a badass skilled in combat techniques. I wouldn't be surprised if even subconciously, Joss was influenced by James Cameron and his kick-ass females.
"Mark Peyton: What characters/runs shaped your perception as a comic reader?
Joss Whedon: Howard the Duck was my first grown-up. He taught me absurdism, satire and bestiality. And what other comic had ever opened with the lead character attempting suicide?
Kitty Pryde was every girl I went to school with, if they were slightly more awesome. She was one of us "” a Peter Parker for my generation (hey! I'm actually younger than someone!)
Cody Starbuck taught me much of what you're not supposed to teach kids, that they desperately need to know. Actually, this applies to much of Chaykin's work.
M.P.: Are there any rules you won't break in approaching characters you didn't create?
J.W.: Every character, yours or not, new or very old, has a list of rules. You always know which ones not to break. For example, Gwen Stacy would never have sex with Norman Osborn and give birth to super-powered twins (Obviously). But the fun is always examining the rules and seeing which ones will bend, because that's where the character's true dimensions lie."
http://themagazine.millarworld.tv/index.php/?p=68
Joss Whedon: Howard the Duck was my first grown-up. He taught me absurdism, satire and bestiality. And what other comic had ever opened with the lead character attempting suicide?
Kitty Pryde was every girl I went to school with, if they were slightly more awesome. She was one of us "” a Peter Parker for my generation (hey! I'm actually younger than someone!)
Cody Starbuck taught me much of what you're not supposed to teach kids, that they desperately need to know. Actually, this applies to much of Chaykin's work.
M.P.: Are there any rules you won't break in approaching characters you didn't create?
J.W.: Every character, yours or not, new or very old, has a list of rules. You always know which ones not to break. For example, Gwen Stacy would never have sex with Norman Osborn and give birth to super-powered twins (Obviously). But the fun is always examining the rules and seeing which ones will bend, because that's where the character's true dimensions lie."
http://themagazine.millarworld.tv/index.php/?p=68
Xander
You Can Call Me Ash
goldenboy said:
She protects a child? How feminine.
Not really my POV (as I haven't seen it) but thats the problem with feminist arguments, there is kind of a grey area between what females do because society wishes them to be that way and what females do becasue they wish to do it.
eponinethen
Majk
Yeah, and whether the feministy thing to do, as a woman, is to be more "like a man" (do the stuff that are considered manly), or to do the "feminine" things and try to bring more importance into that stuff.. make girl things count as much a guy things... (Sorry, very much OT..)Xander said:
Primal Slayer
Did I Fall Asleep?
Well the film has to be finished by 2007, but here is a good insight on what Joss wants to do with the charecter even though we've heard most of it already:
http://ultimatewonder.com/images/wonderwhedon.jpg
http://ultimatewonder.com/images/wonderwhedon.jpg
Xander said:
This is true. That's a theme that comes up with female heros quite a bit"”protecting a child, nurturing a child. Even with Elektra (didn't see it), her actions, return to humanity is centered around protecting a family, mentoring a girl. All these films have been directed by (written as well?) by men. Can't think of many female action directors.
There's Kathryn Bigelow:
http://imdb.com/name/nm0000941/
You history, anthropology people can correct me...Seems like it's been a very recent, (unique?), 20th century, Western phenomenon to break down traditional roles to the current degree"”with working-professional-moms, daycare, Mr Moms, feminism, all that stuff.
In America and Britain, seems like there have been waves of feminism. The Suffragettes of a century ago got women the vote. Then with WW2 women really got into the workforce, helping with manufacturing to help with the war effort. Proved they can handle tough, "manly" work.
Notwithstanding genetic manipulation, human biology and human nature has its limits. Most men are more aggressive than most women. I just don't think that human nature is infinitely pliable, changable.
Actually, I think modern Western society has relatively new, gray-area expections about men too. They should be strong, rugged, but must also be very sensitive, understanding. Also a stable breadwinner. Can't be too aggressive. If they are, they might be medicated or incarcerated. Rambling, sorry...but it all cuts to the heart of what Joss is about with Buffy, WW, etc.
Anyways, WW will be kick-ass. I don't really care if she's particularly nurturing.