Elongated Man to the small screen

[Airwings]

I have noticed a little here and a little there, that people want to see a DC Comics superhero television series. I think that's not a bad idea actually. It could work with the right hero.
I'm not so much for the idea of a Green Arrow adaption. He has got enough screen time there, with being an important character in Smallville for some years. And it would only be a spin-off then, with Justin Hartley.

No, I want them to do something completely else. Take a unknown hero for non-comic readers, and do something out of it.
A more mature tone than Smallville would be good. There have been a handful of superhero shows: The Cape, No Ordinary Family and Heroes. If they take the best out of all these, they can make something really good.
The hero I suggest for this is Elongated Man. I'm not sure if it should be an origin story, with Ralph Dibny getting his powers. Maybe he should have been around for a while already?

It could be a crime series were the hero shows of his detective skills. Tone down the campy elements please, Elongated Man has a serious side to him. Some humour can work, but to too much.

And let him use as much powers as the budget allows. The effects have to look good, not crappy.

And do yo know what. I would very much like to have a known TV actor play him. Yes, I said a TV ACTOR, not a movie star.
Or they could cast a B actor, someone who doesn't get as many roles these days.

 

[Ultra Lantern]

Michael Weatherly from NCIS would be perfect for the part.

 

[Timstuff]

Question is, will audiences actually watch the show once they're done making fun of his name?

 

[bored]

It needs to go on for ten years of him slowly getting used to his powers, only to end with him finally putting on a real costume in the last fifteen minutes, then where Sue Dibny watches him stretch out and save an airplane through the window.

 

[Timstuff]

It needs to go on for ten years of him slowly getting used to his powers, only to end with him finally putting on a real costume in the last fifteen minutes, then where Sue Dibny watches him stretch out and save an airplane through the window.

Of course, we will never actually see a full view shot of him as Elongated Man, however there would be a ton of obvious foreshadowing and ironic anvil dropping over the course of the show that he will one day eventually become elongated.

 

[bored]

Also, he'll spend a few years referring to himself as "The Stretch".

 

[Airwings]

Haha, not any Smallville syndrome. He will be Elongated man in full suit during the first season.
In the beginning, he can fight regurlar criminals, before taking on superpowered villains.

Since it's a TV series, then not would not be such a hard strectch to take a 80s director to do some episodes. How about that?

 

[Duke]

I'd prefer the far more recognizable Plastic Man character.

 

[Airwings]

But Plastic Man is a character like Mask, and only try to bring laughter , all the time. Just imagine the fightes dragged out with unbearable levels of with slap stick moves, "slip on banana peel" jokes and also having the character doing stupid "funny faces". Just silly

But why not include PM towards the end of first season? During one of Elongated's missions, he makes a street thug fall into some chemicals, by accident and not even knowing it. It transforms the criminal and makes his body super flexible. After a short time, the city get's a mysterious person with similar powers as Elongated but doing things in a completely different way. It gives Elongated bad reputation because people believe it's the same person and that he has gone nuts. To clear his name, he must face Plastic Man. It could end with a fight of the century with all the city being there to watch. Maybe could work

 

[Duke]

But Plastic Man is a character like Mask, and only try to bring laughter , all the time. Just imagine the fightes dragged out with unbearable levels of with slap stick moves, "slip on banana peel" jokes and also having the character doing stupid "funny faces". Just silly

But why not include PM towards the end of first season? During one of Elongated's missions, he makes a street thug fall into some chemicals, by accident and not even knowing it. It transforms the criminal and makes his body super flexible. After a short time, the city get's a mysterious person with similar powers as Elongated but doing things in a completely different way. It gives Elongated bad reputation because people believe it's the same person and that he has gone nuts. To clear his name, he must face Plastic Man. It could end with a fight of the century with all the city being there to watch. Maybe could work

No offense, but Elongated Man is rather drab & dull. They'd probably cancel the show or not even make it past a pilot.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

yeah plastic man would be far more interesting.

 

[gkokujin]

I'd prefer the far more recognizable Plastic Man character.

yeah plastic man would be far more interesting.

this...

 

[some guy]

Eel on film, Ralph on TV.

 

[SuperFerret]

Elongated Man does work better than Plastic Man for TV. Plas is more big, over the top transformations and all, which works better for a big screen action-comedy. Ralph is more of a small case style detective, and he doesn't do much over the top stretching. I think a more subdued, costume-less version would work best. Have him be the detective, pair him with Sue, throw in a decently strong supporting cast and have it be mystery-oriented with cameos and appearances by more subtle and less known DC characters, and hell, throw it on USA and you've got a good show.

Also, not calling him "Elongated Man" in any serious fashion would help. I love the name, but it'll hurt him with most audiences.

 

[Airwings]

I think a more subdued, costume-less version would work best. Have him be the detective...

He should have his costume and use all of his powers! But the detective angle is the right way to go!

...throw in a decently strong supporting cast and have it be mystery-oriented with cameos and appearances by more subtle and less known DC characters.

Brilliant idea! Just what I want!

I don't think they would reject the pilot if the creators put an effort in this. Going for a mini-series like Taken could be terrific, becuase then they wouldn't have to water the concept out like they did with Heroes.
Mentioning Taken... what the heck, they could bring in Steven Spielberg as a co-producer and have a different director for each episode. Taken had nobody less than Tobe Hooper, so we can do something similar here.

In case people haven't noticed, I suggested that Plastic Man should make an supporting appearance half-way through the show as well. Will this satisfy you? Two heroes for the prize of one!

He SHOULD be called Elongated man. Why is that so bad in fiction? It's not a documentary, you know. It could go all the way with the "superhero goes mystery/film noir" tone. Suspension of disbelief will make it work with both costume and name.

Now that DC Comics is opening their whole library of heroes, even the stretching ones need to be made. But not for blockbusters, I guess. A TV show will work just fine.

I'm not so sure about Michael Weatherly for the lead, I must say. Elongated is one of those blond DC heroes (like GA and Aquaman). And the same should go for the live-action version. Any other actor suggestions?

 

[DarkSovereignty]

I'm pretty sure elongated man is a red head. also, in a detective/ noir setting, yah, a guy in long johns called elongated man is far beyond the reaches of suspension of disbelief. plastic man works because he is a comical character in a comical setting, so he's allowd to be ridiculous because he's meant to be.

 

[Airwings]

There is no limit for suspension of disbelief.
And we have Plastic Man in this series. People want him, and they get him.

But we are also getting Elongated Man. Can't we just accept that both of them will be in this series?

 

[DarkSovereignty]

because i simply don't think elongated man is an interesting enough character with an interesting enough mythology to hold a series.

 

[Airwings]

But a mini-series then. Around 6-7 episodes. Done the high-profiled way. Steven Spielberg co-producing. Different directors for each episode, Hideo Nakata can do the first and Farelly Bros the one where Plastic Man appears.

I think you are wrong, it COULD work. It just needs the right marketing. It will become a hype before it even starts.
Just look at Heroes, the first season was a success and nobody knew anything about the characters before.
Is it perhaps so that you dislike the character of Elongated Man and that's the reason you don't want a show?

 

[DarkSovereignty]

i suppose you're right. i just don't think there's anything about him that warrants a show, mini-series or otherwise. i don't see a studio putting a substantial amount of money behind a character nobody (outside of the nerd circles) has ever heard of, named elongated man of all things.

 

[Airwings]

DarkSoverignty: If Dc Comics want to do as many characters as possible, then also might to try with these two. Elongated stands for the serious, and Plastic represents the funny parts of the spectra

 

[Airwings]

I still think this could work.

Hey, you people are suggesting even more obscure characters for films and TV shows.