I hope Lionsgate loses the Punisher rights back to Marvel.

[Advanced Dark]

I really do. Punisher is isolated at a Studio with no other significant Marvel characters and at a studio that only makes low budget films. It's like Punisher has handcuffs on. I loved the first film for what it was but man it could be so much more. There's also not alot of top directors contracted with Lionsgate. Punisher going back to Marvel would assure a sequel done as right as it can be by the one who cares about the character the most IMO. Also Marvel could lend out the Punisher to other studios for crossovers on TV (Blade) or films (Spidey, Daredevil, etc...) Even if the crossovers never happen just give up on it LGF. Please. Besides LGF has too many other low budget success stories like Saw and Hostel to put Punisher as top priority. Considering Marvel is not selling the rights off to any of their characters ever again and that LGF only makes low budget films...I'm just praying for this to happen. I believe LGF has to the end of 2007 to get Punisher filming or they lose.

 

[Kable24]

According the Tom Jane filming is happening this Fall. Even if the rights do go back to Marvel doesn't mean Marvel will do anything with it. I think there is a better chance of LGF doing a sequel than Marvel.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ I agree with you that it's more likely an LGF thing. However Tom said he hoped to be filming this Fall and that they were waiting for a good script. Still no word on the director which has had conflicting reports on whether Jonathan is still on it or not. Maybe Thursday's CC report we'll hear something but I doubt it. If it does film in Fall of 06 there is no way in hell they'll release Punisher 2 in the Summer of 07 and I doubt it'll be done in time for early 07. Fall/Winter 07 is the earliest and best shot IMO and makes the most sense for a low budget film. The only big release rigth now I know of it late 07 is Narnia 2.

 

[zer00]

Why does LG not having any other marvel characters have anything to do with it? I think Punisher is a bit too much of a gamble for Marvel to try to make on their own right now. In a few years. But not now. LG just needs to learn to market better.

all IMO of course.

 

[SuperFerret]

The Punisher doesn't have to be a big budget movie, and not having other Marvel characters licensed makes no difference. Cross-over movies with characters the general public knows next to nothing about (Punisher & Daredevil for example) won't work. In fact, the only "crossover" comic book movie I see possibly working is Superman/Batman.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Ya know, some of these Hollywood types think you do need a huge budget. And, with it likely beng hailed as a SUMMER FLCIK........I guess some people want to justify that by having huge budget.

I think they could, theoretically, make a great Punisher movie on a low budget. It could be gritty, nasty and violent as hell. Almost like an indepent film maybe.

Theoritcally, atleast. I think.

I hope Superman/Batman never happens..........uugg...

 

[SuperFerret]

I think they could, theoretically, make a great Punisher movie on a low budget. It could be gritty, nasty and violent as hell. Almost like an indepent film maybe.

My point exactly. Out of all the Marvel characters, the Punisher is best suited for this approach.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ There are lots of crossovers that work and they're popular in the comics and they'd be just as popular in the movies. Even if moviegoers aren't as familiar with the characters the reason the characters are popular in the comics will bring them popularity in film. I'm not suggesting equal screen time for Punisher in a Spiderman movie or Daredevil film but perhaps a sub-plot of some sort where the cross paths for a scene that a future Punisher or Daredevil film could look back on whenever teh next movie comes out. Man was that a running sentence. There are plenty of crossovers besides Sueprman/Batman that would work IMO:

Silver Surfer/Fantastic Four
Member of FF & X-Men or vice versa.
Punisher/Spidey
Punisher/Daredevil
Daredevil/Spiderman
An Avengers film is one big cluster crossover in a way.
Hulk/FF
Iron Man/Hulk
Iron Man/Nick Fury

Remember when I say crossover I don't mean equal time just an apperance that's a bit more than a cameo. It's important for Marvel to do this and Avi already said that's the plan. They need to to expose less popular character on screen with more popular ones to potentially spin off a new franchise. Maybe a new actor portraying Daredevil could be introduced in a future Spiderman film. Maybe Werewolf by Night could be introduced in the Blade TV series 1st. They can't just risk capital on making a feature film on every unknown but they are testing them by restarting a character in publishing, recreating or updated the character and testing it out to see if it'll work on screen. If Marvel doesn't do crossovers they'd be wasting the value of their content to the Nth degree. Nobody wants Marvel to do crossovers just to parade their characters around. There would have to be a fitting story and not just for the sake of it. Like the Fantastic Four being called on to stop The Hulk. I don't expect any major crossover in the next few years except Fantastic Four/Silver Surfer in FF2 or FF3. It will happen.

 

[Advanced Dark]

My point exactly. Out of all the Marvel characters, the Punisher is best suited for this approach.

PUnisher does not need a 100 million budget. I understand that but 33 million limits filming locations, makes you cut corners, and it shows. If they could up the budget to around 50-55 million for Punisher and not waste money on a Travolta type salary....it would be a huge huge plus.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Ya know what the problem is, with actors....and writers...and directors....it's so hard to keep everyone in the game. Especially with so many "big names" constantly trying to grab up these roles. Comics are like the current biggest souce material for films in the past few years, so many more comics are being made into movies. So, you've got big names or even soon-to-be-big names snatching up these roles.

Now, there might not be a problem....at first. But, unless it's just a ONE SHOT deal (unlikely, with today's Franchise being the word of the decade), trying to get big names and not have any problems with screen time issues or egos........it's gotta be a pain in the ass to ever work all that stuff out.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I just wonder what if, after Castle had been "killed" in PR........what if they just picked upt the cameras and filmed exterior locales in New York. All the interiors could pretty much remain.

 

[ObakeTora]

[EDIT]

I stumbled upon an idea. The problem with the Punisher is the lack of a "voice." Think about it if you will, the Spiderman films, the Batman films all had a significant level of fan base enough to catch media attention. Didnt Batman mention somewhere in a JLU episode where he visited boards like these?

In no disrespect to Tomas Jane, he played an excellent job, but the entire film wasnt PUNISHER!

Before I was too excited to see another Punisher movie because I had prayed they would keep the Vietnam angle. Had Stephen Norrington directed this peice and constructed the plot similar to Blade, where Blade's origin was revealed at the end, Punisher would be at the level of Spiderman. Face it, Punisher is underhyped, and I don't want to see old Frank go out likeSega.

Were constantly beleiving we should should shut up in respect to "other" fans. Well dammit Im just going to come right out and say it. Im sick of it. For half of my life Ive been involved in Punisher. Expecting to see a brilliant masterpeice be told on the screen. But no what do I get after years and years of waiting? Sub-par at best.


Come on Tom, promote the Punisher more, and reconsider your ideal for an adaptation of Circle of Blood.
anyway, thats just my 2 cents and some change. I have to go back to the party now, Maria wants me off her computer.

 

[SWAT]

I belive LGF is the right studio for The Punisher, they are probably the only studio who still has something that resembles balls!

 

[ObakeTora]

well we can only wait and see. All my hope is in Punisher 2. Somehow I feel its going to be a gooooood movie.

 

[cthulhu]

This was mentioned before and I gotta agree - get Eli Roth as the director. Hostel was a great movie and he could make a great punisher. Ah if only...

 

[Advanced Dark]

Eli Roth would be cool for Punisher and they might just give him the money needed considering the success of Hostel. Hensleigh was a novice director which also might have not helped as far as him being able to demand more money if he needed it.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Eli Roth?? No thanks. I don't want an unfunny hack helming the Punisher.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Hostel was a very good film and I wouldn't mind Eli getting the job. Funny or not his last movie was very well done.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Cabin Fever was blew. Total hackjob with the worst humor ever. Haven't seen Hostel yet.

 

[Hades]

Ack, i hope somebody else does get the rights to the punisher movie. Since the one from Lionsgate was...horribly laughable. Another superhero that could have easily made into a good film rushed and turned into crap. It pisses me off.

 

[ObakeTora]

me too.

 

[SWAT]

People seem to forget that LGF did't make the movie, Artisan did.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ I don't think people are forgetting anything. Artisan "had the rights" and Lionsgate bought them out. So it's under LGF's umbrella and it's an LGF film. LGF owns the rights.

 

[SWAT]

Yea, but they did't make it...

 

[Kable24]

But the movie was made under Artisans ownership. LGF did not make the movie. They bought Artisan just as production was finishing up.