Official Green Arrow Casting Thread

[Dog Brother #1]

Name one successful superhero flick without an origin.

 

[Octoberist]

actually, Supermax has some scenes about Oliver's origins anyway.

 

[chris moore]

Let us all pray that Supermax is not the way they bring Oliver Queen to the big screen. I just hope that his success as full on GA in Smallville makes the studio confident that his superhero persona is enough to carry a movie rather than use his civilian identity as an excuse to throw a bunch of b-list DC villains in prison and watch the carnage.

If it doesnt have an origin in it, then the audience will ABSOLUTELY think he's a lame Batman/Robin Hood knockoff. The island, his reason for ending up on the island (loving Year 1 reasons), his change in personality from playboy to anti-establishment, his reasons for picking up the bow - its all integral to making the character unique and interesting

So which way should the movie go? Origin leading into the main fight ala Begins, or established hero comes up against something from his past that allows for flashbacks of a diluted origin?

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

I like the way Supermax explained his origin. GA origins alone are not worth a movie IMHO.

 

[protocida]

It is. Green Arrow's origin has several interesting themes to be developed. It only needs a talented writer.

I say make the first movie an origin story, the second movie the Supermax plot and the third movie, an culmination of both.

 

[Minus Shock]

It is. Green Arrow's origin has several interesting themes to be developed. It only needs a talented writer.

I say make the first movie an origin story, the second movie the Supermax plot and the third movie, an culmination of both.

So, Origin/Supermax/Superorigin? HEhe.

I really don't know much about Supermax, can anyone fill me in on it? I mean I have read tid bits in the news and such but nothing in depth. I don't think the first movie to introduce the emerald archer should be the movie where he gets sent to prison though.

I agree that Green Arrow origins couldn't carry an entire movie, though I do think it would make a great first half of a movie.

I fell in love with Green Arrow when Smith wrote him back in like 00 or something. I have not had the time or resources to read the older books, though I have heard there is A LOT of great material. Though I think if we could take GA:Year One and a second really good Star City set plot the first movie would be DYN-O-MITE.

Then an interesting twist would be Supermax, depending on how it's set up. Like the first superhero who gets arrested by the police for being a vigilante and sent to the Supermax. Would be pretty interesting I think.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Name one successful superhero flick without an origin.

Batman 89

You dont need a step by step, play by play origin story. Flashbacks, dialog, and the actions of the character open the doors to the how and why he does what he does, and is who he is (just like every movie with an original character). I can already say the potential of a Super Max story playing the isolation of prison to the isolation of the island he was stranded on.

And I can name an unsuccessful superhero flick because they favored the origin. Daredevil especially! The DC has great Murdock stuff and the court case subplot. All fantastic and would have made the movie better than the drawn out origin story.

 

[Octoberist]

Supermax could work if they did a rewrite.

The problem is that I feel that the 'Green Arrow' aspect was more of an afterthought because Oliver Queen was boring as hell in the script. Besides being framed- which is bad- I think he needs something more urgent, like not seeing Black Canary ever again. That way, the ticking time bomb becomes even stronger.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Supermax could work if they did a rewrite.

The problem is that I feel that the 'Green Arrow' aspect was more of an afterthought because Oliver Queen was boring as hell in the script. Besides being framed- which is bad- I think he needs something more urgent, like not seeing Black Canary ever again. That way, the ticking time bomb becomes even stronger.

Plus he was lacking all characterization. Whether hes dressed as Green Arrow or Oliver Queen, hes still a very blunt and boastful character, and he was portrayed pretty stoic and quiet

 

[Octoberist]

exactly. That's why I thought that Oliver Queen was a last minute change to the script. Iniitally, it was an origin script but then Goyer thought it would be cool to have it take place in the DC worl.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Oh I see what you're saying now. I think it should be more like Fugitive or Face/Off where hes on the run more than in prison the whole time, that way Black Canary can be involved, aiding and abetting and all.

Spoiler

I thought when Merlyn got arrested just to face off against Arrow in prison was kinda dumb. Might as well meet them on the outside.

And as cliche as it might be, being an escapee trying to clear his name before hes arrested again would definitely add a sense of urgency

 

[Webhead2006]

Yea the whole supermax idea is a good one with some rewrites like others said that script needed. Though i would like to go with flat out origin/interesting story for first film so we can establish the character and get us to care about him. Then leave supermax idea for sequel and all that.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Yea the whole supermax idea is a good one with some rewrites like others said that script needed. Though i would like to go with flat out origin/interesting story for first film so we can establish the character and get us to care about him. Then leave supermax idea for sequel and all that.

You dont need a flat out origin story to do that.

 

[Webhead2006]

I guess so, but it can give you more time to develop things.

 

[Minus Shock]

You dont need a flat out origin story to do that.

Totally agree. While I personally prefer seeing the back story of Batman in Begins, and even Dark Knight to a degree, I don't think it's necessary to do an Origin as the first movie for every superhero. It becomes way too formulaic.

It is entirely possible to set up a character and develop him/her with out showing everything, often times the mysterious factors add to the experience. While origin stories can make heroes relatable, mystery can make people interesting and such.

Fact it is, it is easier to produce movies with origin stories because they are a quick buck, it takes some craftsmanship to create a decent mysterious type plot for a movie.

 

[archangel_jay]

dependant on age of the green arrow,

martin henderson
ethan hawke
charlie hunnam

 

[chris moore]

I liked that Batman Begins had his origin story linked to his reason to come back to Gotham when he did and the purpose for his first outing as Batman. But its not how things went in the comics, it was just a really impressive way to do the movie.

Ollie has the same issue in that he fought the smugglers on the island, then when he came back he chose to go out there and just be a hero, against anything. But Year 1 gave us an Ollie who had a much bigger adventure on the island beyond just surviving then coming home and choosing to use his skills for good. Year 1 had a Batman begins approach to it that I think could work really well for a first movie. Though in order to have half the movie be a lengthened origin (which you kind of have to do for learned skills heroes - accidents that give powers, instant origin; normal guy has to make a conscious choice to become better for some in depth reason, needs more meat to it) and the other half mainland proper job Green Arrow establishment, there needs to be a constant or developing threat throughout the movie.

In this case a 25yr old ish Oliver Queen goes through the events of Year 1, but at the end rather than have Ollie leave with the Navy having arrested Chien Na Win (? beats me) and just start up as Green Arrow, I think it would work better to extend it and have a continuous narrative if among the wreckage of her base Oliver finds evidence that bigger players than her are involved, and they are within the Government - many of which he knows as having been involved in business dealing with his father. This starts his resentment of 'the man' and forces him to become GA a lot earlier than maybe he would have planned. He's thrust into it in order to prevent something like, high up government people profitting from the enormous narcotics deal China White had going on (which they really control, not her) and using the money to fund terrorist groups in order to justify US involvement, and ultimately, control, in the affairs of numerous world states.

Anyone like the gist of that?

Oh yeah - and I reckon Henderson might actually be pretty good. Nice pick Jay

 

[Joker's Lackey]

How about Bradley Copper?

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177896/

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

I think someone might have suggested him before, like a year ago.
http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=15544257&postcount=45

 

[chris moore]

He's the new everyone's favourite for everything since he didnt get Green Lantern

 

[Lobo]

No, he's not been a favorite for everything at all, just a favorite for Green Arrow from what I've seen

 

[chris moore]

He was up for GL officially as one of the final three. He's been mentioned numerous times in the Cap casting thread in the last couple weeks. He's also been one of the alternates for Hawkeye in the Avengers casting thread

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

Yes, but he was mentioned here as a good GA candidate a year ago. I called dibs on him as GA.

 

[cerealkiller182]

I guess so, but it can give you more time to develop things.

You have all the time in the world, because every one of Green Arrow's actions should coincide with a part of his personality which has been developed by his past experiences.

 

[Webhead2006]

Well if they do end up doing a GA film soon in the coming years, i hope they make a good decision on the direction of the character, and make the film a serious take on the character like what nolan did with batman. So i was thinking if they get a film going soon how would u guys like ollie's suit to be like/material used?