Green Arrow the Movie, anyone?

[MadVillainy]

Youre not really giving reasons why it wouldnt work.

There is no reason why GA wouldnt work in a feature film at all

 

[Midnight Black]

Youre not really giving reasons why it wouldnt work.

There is no reason why GA wouldnt work in a feature film at all

I just don't see it being profitable and really all that marketable. I would love to see most if not all the DC characters on the big screen. However, having a guy with a bow and arrow (a la Robin Hood of the Future) run around the city saving the "little guy" just doesn't sound like a feature film to me. Although there are films that get the green light and have truly sucked.

I would rather see this as a drama/action series. I think Ollie and his life story would do better as a tv show than a film. There is more that can be explored with him and I don't think that 2 hours would be enough time to give hime his due respect. I think filmmakers would rush the story and turn it into a wannabe Batman/Robin Hood of the 21st Century.

 

[MadVillainy]

Ok I get your concerns that it wont be marketable. But I dont see how making it a live action tv show would be better. If it's not marketable as a film how would be marketable as tv show? And every superheroes story is much bigger than a 2 hr film can include, it's all about which aspects they choose.

On that note I also dont see how it's hard to market at all. If it's an origin story it's Cast Away (made over 450 mill WW), meets Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (over 350 mill WW), meets Iron Man (made over 550 mill WW), meets Batman Begins (350 mill WW). I use BB because Batman deals with street level crime while Iron Man doesnt.

And I dont get how a guy dressed like a bat running around fighting a clown sounds anymore like a feature film than "a guy with a bow and arrow (a la Robin Hood of the Future) run around the city saving the 'little guy'". It's not really fair to say something doesnt look like a feature film when you put it like that.

 

[Savage]

As much as I'd love a Green Arrow movie, I'd honestly prefer a tv show. Ollie's stories work best when you already know him. I don't know about anybody else but it's the older Ollie that I really like. The one with the family and history. Young Green Arrow is literally a Batman knockoff. He's supposed to be.

I think it would be better to go the No Ordinary Family/Smallville route but darker at times. I mean look at his best stories. The Longbow Hunters, his road trip with Hal Jordan, all of his books since he returned from the grave (when Kevin Smith brought him back anyway). Playing on his history makes for the best stories imo.

Yeah there could always be another origin movie and people could make all the Batman and Iron Man comparisons even before the movie comes out but I'd much rather that kind of thing be something he glosses over or is kind of common knowledge. For me a good Green Arrow story isn't defined by Ollie's deeds or action sequences but by his interactions with the people around him. Otherwise he's just a Batman stand-in (like Smallville made perfectly clear even with the revamp). And this is coming from a Green Arrow fan. I'd much rather see stories involving Ollie and Dinah and maybe throw in Roy, Conner, and Mia. It's his wonderful cast of characters that make GA interesting and it doesn't get much better than Team Arrow. It's not like he has a butler or Lucius Fox or anything.

 

[Midnight Black]

Ok I get your concerns that it wont be marketable. But I dont see how making it a live action tv show would be better. If it's not marketable as a film how would be marketable as tv show? And every superheroes story is much bigger than a 2 hr film can include, it's all about which aspects they choose.

On that note I also dont see how it's hard to market at all. If it's an origin story it's Cast Away (made over 450 mill WW), meets Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (over 350 mill WW), meets Iron Man (made over 550 mill WW), meets Batman Begins (350 mill WW). I use BB because Batman deals with street level crime while Iron Man doesnt.

And I dont get how a guy dressed like a bat running around fighting a clown sounds anymore like a feature film than "a guy with a bow and arrow (a la Robin Hood of the Future) run around the city saving the 'little guy'". It's not really fair to say something doesnt look like a feature film when you put it like that.

Savage put it best. An origin story IMO just works better as a tv show rather than movie, not to mention the whole Batman knock-off thing. Ollie's interactions with those around him would make for a great tv show.

Yeah, we could fit in his origin and heroics within 2 hours like other superhero characters, but why would you want to when you can get a whole season to develop the character and make the general audience aware of who he is and how he is NOT some Batman/Robin Hood wannabe.

Batman fighting the Joker is more entertaining as a feature film, because for one the masses already know the story, but like to see it on a larger screen so you don't have to spend too much time if you don't want to discussing how he came to be, plus you can't really compare Batman to any other character. He is in his own league. However, if they were to do a Green Arrow movie he would get compared to Batman, Daredevil, and Iron Man because critics and the mass audience do not know him that well. When it comes down to it those opinions matter more than the fanboys'.

IMO it would just be more interesting to see him in a tv show, but I would still support a movie if they decided.

As much as I'd love a Green Arrow movie, I'd honestly prefer a tv show. Ollie's stories work best when you already know him. I don't know about anybody else but it's the older Ollie that I really like. The one with the family and history. Young Green Arrow is literally a Batman knockoff. He's supposed to be.

I think it would be better to go the No Ordinary Family/Smallville route but darker at times. I mean look at his best stories. The Longbow Hunters, his road trip with Hal Jordan, all of his books since he returned from the grave (when Kevin Smith brought him back anyway). Playing on his history makes for the best stories imo.

Yeah there could always be another origin movie and people could make all the Batman and Iron Man comparisons even before the movie comes out but I'd much rather that kind of thing be something he glosses over or is kind of common knowledge. For me a good Green Arrow story isn't defined by Ollie's deeds or action sequences but by his interactions with the people around him. Otherwise he's just a Batman stand-in (like Smallville made perfectly clear even with the revamp). And this is coming from a Green Arrow fan. I'd much rather see stories involving Ollie and Dinah and maybe throw in Roy, Conner, and Mia. It's his wonderful cast of characters that make GA interesting and it doesn't get much better than Team Arrow. It's not like he has a butler or Lucius Fox or anything.

 

[MadVillainy]

Smallville/No Ordinary Family route is exactly what Im afraid of with any live action superhero show. You get reduced budget and usually less talent

and I dont get how an origin story would work better on TV then on a film. I understand wanting a TV show but I dont get how it's better.

And so what if GA has similarities to Batman. The small similarities would help him more than hurt him with the general audience. And when it boils down to it GA isnt a Batman ripoff and they can prove that in a film. Smallville was the one that portrayed him that way (and not even that much IMO)

 

[Midnight Black]

Smallville/No Ordinary Family route is exactly what Im afraid of with any live action superhero show. You get reduced budget and usually less talent

and I dont get how an origin story would work better on TV then on a film. I understand wanting a TV show but I dont get how it's better.

And so what if GA has similarities to Batman. The small similarities would help him more than hurt him with the general audience. And when it boils down to it GA isnt a Batman ripoff and they can prove that in a film. Smallville was the one that portrayed him that way (and not even that much IMO)

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of Prison Break, Lost, or another serious drama/action series. Not a Buffy, Smallville, Vampire Diaries type show. Yeah, there are metahumans in Green Arrow's world, seeing how he is DC, but since he is human that aspect will bring more believability and realism.

Having a series where his origin and M.O. is explored and how he came to be could possiby allow for better character development by allowing him to show more depth with the more amount of time a series would allow as opposed to film.

"The small similarities would help him more than hurt him with the general audience." When it comes to the General Audience they can sometimes not be as permitting when it comes to characters that are too similar. When Daredevil came out there was a lot of talk by GAs and critics by being compared to Spiderman; although, the sucky script and acting didn't help.

I just think having a tv series will allow for more character growth, plus it will be nice to have a series of a DC character, that isn't one of the big 3.

 

[Savage]

Smallville/No Ordinary Family route is exactly what Im afraid of with any live action superhero show. You get reduced budget and usually less talent

and I dont get how an origin story would work better on TV then on a film. I understand wanting a TV show but I dont get how it's better.

And so what if GA has similarities to Batman. The small similarities would help him more than hurt him with the general audience. And when it boils down to it GA isnt a Batman ripoff and they can prove that in a film. Smallville was the one that portrayed him that way (and not even that much IMO)

That's the thing, though. A Green Arrow movie would literally be an Iron Man/Batman Begins mash up. Billionaire playboy gets attacked by terrorists/pirates and is left in a foreign place to fend for himself, learns humility and fights his way back to civilization where he uses his newfound lessons and ability (not to mention wealth) to suit up and fight crime. Forget Iron Man and Batman. Green Hornet of all things would be getting compared to this.

No, that kind of thing is better off covered in the first 5 minutes of a pilot episode by a news reporter recounting the events that lead to Star City's hero of how many years (if his identity is public) or later by Ollie telling the story to somebody. Maybe explaining to Mia why he does what he does in the pilot episode.

Green Arrow doesn't require a budget much bigger than Human Target or even Smallville's or Stargate's, if you want to stretch it. His stories can focus more on his family, his infidelity, will he or won't he marry Dinah. This is stuff you can't really fit in a movie unless it's a sequel and then you have to get the standard formulaic comic book movie out of the way first.

I'd like to see Green Arrow work in a world where Superheroes have already existed for a long time. Where Black Canary is a legacy. Where superheroes are standard and Green Arrow is practically Star City's proud mascot. Where fighting crime is so by the numbers to him and his family that they're having conversations with each other about mundane things DURING the fights.

Sorry to make this comparison if you're not a Buffy fan but like on that show where fighting vampires was the standard opening and she'd be having a conversation that reveals the real plot of the episode. Funny enough Buffy The Vampire Slayer has the perfect formula for a superhero tv series without being based on a comic book. Fight scenes with awesome stunt doubles, major plot, major season arc plot, character development all through it. Let Batman have the big screen and Green Arrow have the small.

 

[Midnight Black]

Sorry to make this comparison if you're not a Buffy fan but like on that show where fighting vampires was the standard opening and she'd be having a conversation that reveals the real plot of the episode. Funny enough Buffy The Vampire Slayer has the perfect formula for a superhero tv series without being based on a comic book. Fight scenes with awesome stunt doubles, major plot, major season arc plot, character development all through it. Let Batman have the big screen and Green Arrow have the small.

Definitely, a Buffy fan, since episode 1. So I understand EXACTLY what you mean by opening sequence fighting (no biggie, everyday stuff), move to school, library, or Buff's house and chillax while talking more pressing matters like hellmouth, the source, mall, fashion, Willow's Lesbian feelings lol, move to more severe fighting with Spike or some other just-got-in-to-town baddie, and finally reveal what's upcoming for the season.

I could see that happening with Green Arrow, but I would enjoy it more if it were less WB/CW and more Fox/NBC/CBS.

 

[Savage]

Exactly. Green Arrow or Green Arrow and (insert partner here) fight some scum in the beginning of the episode and uncover something bigger and through the rest of the episode certain members of the group go after certain leads or do whatever it is they do until the end of the ep where they take down the baddie, leaving just enough of a thread for the rest of the season. Like Brick could be a season baddie and someone like Constantine Drakon could be that baddie that pops up from time to time either giving trouble on his own or working for someone.

The story with Onomatopia could make for a great episode. Just to see that scene at the hospital where Ollie puts an arrow in his mouth and says "If he dies, so do you." t: (then cut to commercial break)

Man, now I'm getting all excited for a show that isn't happening.

 

[Midnight Black]

Lol

 

[Doc Ock]

I think I'd like a Green Arrow TV series more than a movie but thats me.

 

[Savage]

Yes, this needs to be put on screen.

Which costume do you think they should go for though? I say go with the hood but have flashbacks or old pictures where he's wearing the hat.

 

[Midnight Black]

Yes, this needs to be put on screen.

Which costume do you think they should go for though? I say go with the hood but have flashbacks or old pictures where he's wearing the hat.

I don't know about the hat. Maybe, when he first assumes the role as with every hero that starts off and has a starter suit, but I wouldn't want to see it too often. Might look cheesy, dunno...would have to see it though. I say hood, but he rarily has it on or maybe a modified hood that fits on like Gambit's or Psyclops with the hair showing or not, respectively.

TV show though.

 

[Savage]

I prefer a hood big enough that there's a shadow over the top half of his face together with the mask. Creating kind of a cowl impression. I don't think he'd look too cool in an actual cowl. Especially a Cyclops/Gambit/Earth 2 Robin type.

I like the hat. A lot. And I honestly think that it would work really well together with the goatee and would do well to drive home that old school "I've been busting heads before you were even born" look.

I'm torn between the two but I edge toward the hooded look.

 

[Midnight Black]

I prefer a hood big enough that there's a shadow over the top half of his face together with the mask. Creating kind of a cowl impression. I don't think he'd look too cool in an actual cowl. Especially a Cyclops/Gambit/Earth 2 Robin type.

I like the hat. A lot. And I honestly think that it would work really well together with the goatee and would do well to drive home that old school "I've been busting heads before you were even born" look.

I'm torn between the two but I edge toward the hooded look.

Okay, I think I understand your motivation for the hat. Are you wanting GA to be late 30s to mid 40s? If so then I can understand your reason for the hat. But if you, like I are looking for a late 20s to mid 30s (more so 30s) GA I would have to go with the Hood, and a Gambit-esque head piece.

If the show is more Buffy than a hat could work, but if it is more 24/Prison Break then I don't see a hat working aesthetically.

 

[Savage]

I'm thinking more late 30s-early 40s Ollie. Old enough so that Roy can already be Arsenal and make guest appearances every now and then and Mia can be working her way up to becoming the new Speedy.

I'm not a fan of a super serious 24/Prison Break style show because while Green Arrow may deal with serious issues (infidelity, AIDS, etc) the tone of the book itself is not that serious. The half and half tone shows like Buffy have seems just about perfect. I doubt Whedon would touch the show for multiple reasons but I can see Kevin Smith being involved in some way and he'd be able to pull it off no problem.

Speaking of Buffy (and really going into fanboy mode here), Sarah Michelle Gellar is 33. Do you think she'd make a good Black Canary? Not to go into "Let's recast the entire Buffy cast" mode or anything but it just clicked for me when Buffy was mentioned. I think she's just old enough to pull off the maternal figure role and at the same time young and hot enough to pull off those fishnets.

 

[batlovescatDC]

I think after the movies Green Lantern and Green Hornet are released in the same year... a lot of the general audience is gonna be like "WTF? Seriously?" when they see a film named Green Arrow being released.

But anyways... I think that it could definitely work if given the right spin. I wouldn't wanna see the stranded on an island thing done because that would just seem repetitive of things like Lost. But if put in the right hands of somebody that can do an awesome, straight out action movie along the lines of Mission Impossible, James Bond, etc. and not a normal comic book movie then it could definitely work.

Put JJ Abrams on as producer... the style of M:I3 would work perfectly for Green Arrow. Add someone like James McTeigue as director and it'd be hook, line, sinker.

 

[MadVillainy]

I think after the movies Green Lantern and Green Hornet are released in the same year... a lot of the general audience is gonna be like "WTF? Seriously?" when they see a film named Green Arrow being released.

But anyways... I think that it could definitely work if given the right spin. I wouldn't wanna see the stranded on an island thing done because that would just seem repetitive of things like Lost. But if put in the right hands of somebody that can do an awesome, straight out action movie along the lines of Mission Impossible, James Bond, etc. and not a normal comic book movie then it could definitely work.

Put JJ Abrams on as producer... the style of M:I3 would work perfectly for Green Arrow. Add someone like James McTeigue as director and it'd be hook, line, sinker.

Lol yeah 3 "Green" heroes. Green is my favorite color but yeah I can see it being redundant to some people

The stranded island thing has been done before yes. But Ollie being stranded on an island is different than Lost. Ollie origin was made before Lost and just because we ahve Lost doesnt mean we cant have another stranded island film (Ot: I wouldnt mind a better Robinson Curosoe film) and if it's part of his origin why take it out?

 

[Savage]

Well straight up action and not a typical comic book movie how? No costume? No humor? I'm curious because Green Arrow doesn't really have anything that makes him comic booky aside from his costume, rogues gallery, and company he keeps. So how do you go about making his movie not your typical comic book movie?

 

[Midnight Black]

SAVAGE,

I don't think that Sarah M.G. is too old for the part. She's not, 33 is young. Heck, there are actors and actresses in their late 20s and 30s still playing like they are in highschool and college lol, especially when it comes to Hollywood standards.

However, I don't think that she is right for the role. 1) She is a tad bit skinny, and I have always pictured Black Canaray as being more busty and curvy. 2) I don't find her that sexy. I think Black Canary needs to be a sexy woman IMO.

 

[Savage]

Ah. I hear you on that one. SMG has kind of a teenage girl's body type which was why she was able to pull off Buffy for so long (also probably why her career has been stagnant for so long). Who do you think can pull off any of the characters but would gladly do TV work? I'm kind of stumped myself. It's a lot easier to think up movie actors than it is TV actors.

 

[Midnight Black]

Ah. I hear you on that one. SMG has kind of a teenage girl's body type which was why she was able to pull off Buffy for so long (also probably why her career has been stagnant for so long). Who do you think can pull off any of the characters but would gladly do TV work? I'm kind of stumped myself. It's a lot easier to think up movie actors than it is TV actors.

Yeah, I'll have to think about that. I think there are some good blondes, and brunettes that would make a good Black Canary for a TV series. I'll have to research that and get back to you. I'm about to let my son use the comp, but will ponder that and come up with some. Also, since you said you are going for an older more mature film, the actress will either have to be able to pull off older 30s or actually be in her 30s.

 

[Savage]

Exactly. For Green Arrow I was thinking types like Jerry O'Connell and Mark Paul Gosselaar (Zack from Saved By The Bell, who's actually come a long way in his career since). People with that loud, almost obnoxious and brash attitude who can still be serious when they need to be.

As for Black Canary (and I'm trying my best not to think of Whedon actors but can't help it), how about Elizabeth Rohm (Detective Lockley from Angel). Or Diane Neal (Law and Order: SVU).

Trying not to say Ali Larter or Nathan Fillion cause they're the fanboy choices for everything under the sun but I like them too.

 

[El Payaso]

I think after the movies Green Lantern and Green Hornet are released in the same year... a lot of the general audience is gonna be like "WTF? Seriously?" when they see a film named Green Arrow being released.

Haha. yes. "Mh. Another 'Green' hero. I bet it's another movie abou a man who's also a womanizer partyman that has to mature in order to become a superhero."