Whedon no longer to write "Wonder Woman"

[LondosHair]

From Whedonesque:

You (hopefully) heard it here first: I'm no longer slated to make Wonder Woman. What? But how? My chest... so tight! Okay, stay calm and I'll explain as best I can. It's pretty complicated, so bear with me. I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked. Hey, not that complicated.

Let me stress first that everybody at the studio and Silver Pictures were cool and professional. We just saw different movies, and at the price range this kind of movie hangs in, that's never gonna work. Non-sympatico. It happens all the time. I don't think any of us expected it to this time, but it did. Everybody knows how long I was taking, what a struggle that script was, and though I felt good about what I was coming up with, it was never gonna be a simple slam-dunk. I like to think it rolled around the rim a little bit, but others may have differing views.

The worst thing that can happen in this scenario is that the studio just keeps hammering out changes and the writer falls into a horrible limbo of development. These guys had the clarity and grace to skip that part. So I'm a free man.

Well, sorta. There is that "Goners" movie I can finally finish polishing, and plenty of other things in the hopper I've wanted to pursue. I'm as relieved as I am disappointed, and both of those things lead to drink, so that's a plus. Truly, you may be hearing some interesting things brewing in the coming months. But all potential jets therein will be visible.

Check the site to find out who he had in mind for the role. I'd have to agree with his choice.

It's too bad, really. Had he been working with Marvel (on a Marvel character), who has it's own movie development company, his story probably would've been accepted with open arms. DC doesn't have that sort of thing (to my knowledge), and so I would assume movies based on their characters are much more vulnerable to the mercies (or lack thereof) of Hollywood.

 

[Galahad]

Last I heard about it was when the rumour mill was suggesting Kim Basinger for the role... not wanting to be ageist, but isn't she more than a little old for the role?

I also heard Sandra Bullock had been put forward my some.

Personally I think you have to find the actor for the role, not the role for the actor. That's not meant as a disrespect to the diversity of actors... but more to say that there is nothing wrong in widening the scope to the slightly less famous if you really can't find the right person from the "A" listers.

 

[LondosHair]

Bullock might have been fine for the role 10 years ago, but if you ask me, she's never had the boobs for it. As horrible as that sounds, think about it... that cosume requires a certain kind of body to hold it up! (And for those wondering, Whedon has been very adamant about sticking to the traditional costume design.)

Basinger -- BLEHH. Don't get me wrong, she was SMOKIN' in LA Confidential, but that was 10 years ago, too. There's no way she'd make a believable Diana today. Diana/WW is supposed to be in her late 20's/early 30's. And athletic.

 

[Alluveal]

I have no idea who I would cast in this role. As long as it's not one of the Desperate Housewives or someone from the OC, I'd be happy, I guess.

 

[Recoil]

I like Whedon's stuff, but I really wasn't looking forward to seeing this anyway. Just not into the whole Superhero genre very much I guess.

 

[KoshFan]

The only really solid recent superhero movies, in my mind, are X2, Batman Begins, and the Incredibles... and that last one is probably the best of the lot.

 

[GaribaldisHair]

Yeah, Spider-Man 2 is OK as well, but The Incredibles also knocks that into a cocked hat.

 

[Galahad]

The only really solid recent superhero movies, in my mind, are X2, Batman Begins, and the Incredibles... and that last one is probably the best of the lot.

I thought X3 was abysmal. So much misuse with characters.

The thing that offended me most was the last sneaky bit after the credits. That just doesn't track logically.

 

[Recoil]

I think its funny you guys are comparing "The Incredibles" to other Superhero movies. The Incredibles was a cartoon meant to be funny, the movies you are comparing them too were meant to be dramatic. Apples and Oranges people.

Compare The Incredibles to Shrek or something.

 

[Galahad]

I know I'm in the vast minority on this one but I happen to like "Unbreakable". Especially the musical score.

 

[Recoil]

Same. The minority is now less vast.

 

[KoshFan]

Never seen Unbreakable.

I included The Incredibles partially as irony, saying, "Hey, look at all these big-budget live-action movies about comic-book characters, and this goofball cartoon blows them all away."

I've steered clear of X3. Spiderman 2 was kind of cutsey and like cotton-candy -- kind of tasty but without much there.

 

[darth_librarian]

X3 was like a bad dream version of some of the best X-men comic plots of the past 20 years.

As for this news, good for Joss I guess, in that he gets to work on projects he retains tighter control over. IIRC, he swore never to work in movies again after Alien 4. I'd like to see him do more Marvel, and maybe another TV show ?

His choice of wonder woman was spot on as well. She would have been perfect, but is probably not 'big name' enough.

Expect a born-again as a burnette Jessica Simpson staring in Wonder Woman to be announced in a few months.

 

[KoshFan]

Whedon may very well have sworn to never work in movies again -- but I think Serenity probably means he's broken his oath. He's got another film in the works, and he's always writing coming books. (Buffy Season 8 hits the comic-book racks next month!)

Plus his good buddy and Firefly right-hand-man Tim Minear is starting a new show, with several actors Joss is quite fond of in leading roles, so don't be surprised if he makes the occasional appearance in the credits.

 

[Sindatur]

I haven't heard the name bandied about for quite some time, but, I thought Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy) would've been perfect when her name was coming up alot a couple years ago for the role.

 

[Recoil]

She would be way too short, right?

 

[Sindatur]

She would be way too short, right?

She's 5'5", so yea, that is kinda short, hadn't thought about that. Still, there's always forced perception, like they did in LotR with Gimli and the hobbits

 

[Galahad]

Or in the late 80's - Tom Cruise and milk Crates

 

[Galahad]

Besides 5'5" isn't that short for a girl if you ask me.

 

[Recoil]

5'5" isn't short per say. But for someone who is supposed to be an Amazon woman....its short. And yea, there have been roles over the years where people appear larger than they are

(Michael Clarke Duncan in GREEN MILE and of course the Hobbits/Gandalf in LOTR come to mind)

That sort of spoof works well for normal scenes, but for a movie that promises to have a lot of fights and action sequences, I'd bet its tougher to pull off and have it look natural...