Reboot: Character Portrayal

[Webhead2006]

yea like david tyler said i would like to see what you have to say about perry, jimmy and any other key supporting people.

 

[Frodo]

Frodo - do you have a vision of Jimmy and Perry, too?

I have sort sketchy idea's for them right now. I have a better idea about Perry then Jimmy. My idea would be that Perry is not the editor yet and would still be with the grunts as it were. He use to work the political beat in Wasington and cover Secretary of Defense Sam Lane years ago.He's spoken on political round table talk shows like Wasington Week in the past. He's sort of a hard driving hard drinking kind of guy. He's seperated from his wife because he put the paper ahead of his marriage. He literally sleeps on a couch at the Daily Planet because of he's not on speaking terms with his wife. His fellow reporters respect him as sort of a senior member of the crew. He's certainly has a larger then life personality. He doesn't know Lois Lane that well. He's seen her in the hallways and she usually is isolated from everyone else in the lunch rooms. At some point I imagine that he see's her sitting alone and starts up a conversation. Once he see's how sharp and funny she is he takes a liking to her and considers her a woman after his own heart. I picture Alec Baldwin in the role myself so I think Perry would be in his 40's or 50's.

As for Jimmy I picture him being 17. He runs around getting lunch order's for everyone. He's not even a photographer for the Planet. He's always putting his photo's forward but no one really takes him seriously. He's a kid and the Daily Planet staff don't look at him as much more then that. The only person who shows him respect is Lois Lane. He hates how she's treated and has a crush on her. She knows he's got a thing for her but looks at him as a little brother of course. Jimmy knows he's in the friendship zone but he's content with that.There both sort of the outcasts of the Daily Planet. He also hasn't met Perry White though he's heard about him throughout the office.

 

[markstrange]

Here is a random thought. What if in one scene of the movie sups walks into the police department and ask if he can help them. The police respond by shooting him. lol JK

Since the DC universe is all connected in the comics and makes us aware of that fact even when focusing on one hero. The movies should do the same. Even when we are focusing in on superman, the people around him should know about other superheroes; like, It would be funny to have batman have a cameo via a newspaper report or some other more clever way... or have superman himself speak of him, saying something like, " I don't like his methods." If superheroes existed they would be world news, so its not a leap to say that batman's actions in Gotham would be on metropolis's news.

 

[SuperDaniel]

No Lois working for Tabloids, please! She should be the best reporter of the Daily Planet and probably of the world when Superman make his first appearence, totally career oriented, no time for BS and romantic relationships. Something like what was portrayed in Lois & Clark.

 

[Frodo]

No Lois working for Tabloids, please! She should be the best reporter of the Daily Planet and probably of the world when Superman make his first appearence, totally career oriented, no time for BS and romantic relationships. Something like what was portrayed in Lois & Clark.

My idea wasn't that she was working for a tabloid but that at the Daily Planet she did tabloid fluff like stories like celeb gossip, light entertainment, stuff that she doesn't want to do. The point is that she has potential to be a great reporter but she hasn't been given the chance because everyone underestimates or doesn't take her seriously. For me that's much more interesting Journey then to just do Lois and Clark or STM again. I agree with the career oriented part though.

 

[SuperDaniel]

My idea wasn't that she was working for a tabloid but that at the Daily Planet she did tabloid fluff like stories like celeb gossip, light entertainment, stuff that she doesn't want to do. The point is that she has potential to be a great reporter but she hasn't been given the chance because everyone underestimates or doesn't take her seriously. For me that's much more interesting Journey then to just do Lois and Clark or STM again. I agree with the career oriented part though.

No tabloids whatsoever. This is Cat Grant's department. Lois should be a great reporter from the start. I trully gifted woman who is always seeking for truth and justice and built a career with that and is respected by everyone. This tabloid stuff is Smallville doings and I hate it. Ït diminishes her character. Superman should look at her and see his other half. Someone who stands against injustice and fight for the better of the world.

 

[Kurosawa]

My idea wasn't that she was working for a tabloid but that at the Daily Planet she did tabloid fluff like stories like celeb gossip, light entertainment, stuff that she doesn't want to do. The point is that she has potential to be a great reporter but she hasn't been given the chance because everyone underestimates or doesn't take her seriously. For me that's much more interesting Journey then to just do Lois and Clark or STM again. I agree with the career oriented part though.

Which is how Siegel had her start out...then she fought her way to more important fare. So I'm with you if they do start from the beginning.

 

[Webhead2006]

what if frodo jimmy was changed from a 17yr old to maybe a 21 intern/photographer who is still in college and all that. The whole young teen working at a paper doesnt really fit in today's world.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Siegel ain't the master when writing Superman. His Superman didn't fly. His stories only worked in the thirties where they belong. This is the 21st century.

A lot of writers did better than him and improved the characters. Why do Superman fans always like to live in the past?

Again, Lois working for tabloids and any other ****** newspaper diminishes her character. She should be after big stories from the start. And she should be proud of being the best damn reporter EVER. No start of her career. The next movie should be about Superman, Not Lois Lane. Lois should already be the best reporter of the world, respected and working for the Daily Planet and not actually believing in stories about angels and stuff saving people around the world. In fact, she should even be a mentor to inexperienced Clark Kent. Thats the way it works best. You have to grab the best things from every incarnation of Superman and Lois in Lois & Clark was the best thing about the show and the best she was ever written.

 

[Webhead2006]

i agree there she should be the star reporter lois at the bat and getting into trouble and far over her head some times.

 

[NeoRanger]

^^ It really doesn't. If anything, it's actually somewhat more relatable, in the sense that nobody makes it big from the get-go, just because they are after big. I'm pretty sure that none of us actually suggests they want to see Lois and Jimmy bursting into a hotel room to take pictures of Tom sacrificing ET to his god.

 

[Webhead2006]

well if the film is reboot/origin you can say lois has been with the planet for a few yrs already like 2-4 yrs and over that time she has grown to be one of the paper's top reporters before clark joins there, and before superman shows up and she is trying to get his scoops.

 

[SuperDaniel]

The movie should be ABOUT SUPERMAN not Lois Lane's rise to be the best reporter. She should already be the best reporter and sticking her nose in problems. It's really that simple to write the character. People don't want to see reinventions.

We already have SR for a movie totally foccused on Lois Lane. And a bad representation.

This movie should be about how Clark Kent, adopted kid from Kansas, become the best superhero in the planet and how he deals with that responsibility.

Throw in Braniac and great actions scenes and thats it. There is really no secret.

 

[NeoRanger]

No, there isn't really any secret. You are required to treat your characters properly when you make drama. Tossing Lois, one of the most prominant female role models in pop-culture, aside like that is not good writing. Nobody suggested going through her psyche with a fine-tooth comb, but a little exposition wouldn't hurt.

Don't go back to SR to make that point; I don't who the hell that person was in that movie, but she was not Lois.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Its not tossing aside. It's cutting the meat and going for the simpler and to the point. Just tell what needs to be told. No more, no less. Thats the thing. I'm writing a reboot script right now and she plays an important part in Superman's story. We just don't need to see her origin, thats all. In fact, in my script, Lois is the inspiration for Clark wanting to be a reporter. Theres no more dignity than that.

 

[Frodo]

It really depends on which story you want to tell or how you want to tell it. There is no right or wrong answer IMO. In my vision of a reboot , Lois Lane works at the Daily Planet covering gossipy fluff because that's where she religated not because it's what she wants to do. She hasn't become the famous the Lois Lane we all know and love because she hasn't been given a chance to shine. The Planet is under bad management and is close to filing for chapter 11. Perry isn't even the editor yet. Clark works for Reuters and transfers to a struggling Daily Planet. Instead of going back to the same old formula in my story we'd see how Lois, Clark, Jimmy, and Perry became icons at the Daily Planet. My vision is more about how these four unlikely , very different people overcome the odds and in the process form an unlikely bond. It's the Intergang and Superman story which restore's the Daily Planet to it's former glory and makes Lois Lane and Clark Kent. I personally like the idea of Lois being a diamond in the rough who everyone underestimates because she's Sam Lane's daughter.

 

[SuperDaniel]

It seems like a good idea but the story should be centered in Superman and not the rise of the Daily Planet. This isn't Smallville. Gossip is not Lois Lane thing. It's Cat Grant's. Might be a good vision but i just don't like the sound of it. People don't need reinventions of the characters and that is one of the problems of the many scripts that we were shown in these years of production hell of Superman movies. The characters are already what they are supposed to do to reach the best stories possible. There is no need to change them, really.

 

[Frodo]

The point is to try something new. The changes I made aren't so drastic that they ruin the characters. Lois doing gossip stories when she starts out really isn't a big deal to me since my version is her basically at the beginning of her career. She's unknown and hasn't have that big break yet. The point is in my version she hasn't become the famous Lois Lane yet. If my version were like the SUPERMAN 78 version and she was doing gossip that would be one thing. Then again , my idea isn't to just copy what's done before. The mythology is already there , but it doesn't mean you can't add to it or explore idea's that haven't been brought to the forefront. It's what the writers of Superman have done for years.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Ok. I tried to avoid saying that but You DO NOT understand the character of Lois Lane if you think she should start her career doing gossip. It's not the point of showing the beggining of her career. It's her ideals. Gossip isn't journalism and Lois Lane has always been the best example of a journalist, since the start. You diminish her character and personality.

The point isn't to try something new. The point is being faithful to the essence of the characters and create the best story with that.

The characters of the Superman mythos are already estabilished. There is not need to fix what ain't broke. It's simple as that.

Many authors are just trying SO MUCH to put their stamp on the characters that they don't realize that the best thing to do is just respect them and create the best story USING them. You see the difference?

 

[Kurosawa]

Siegel ain't the master when writing Superman. His Superman didn't fly. His stories only worked in the thirties where they belong. This is the 21st century.

A lot of writers did better than him and improved the characters. Why do Superman fans always like to live in the past?

Again, Lois working for tabloids and any other ****** newspaper diminishes her character. She should be after big stories from the start. And she should be proud of being the best damn reporter EVER. No start of her career. The next movie should be about Superman, Not Lois Lane. Lois should already be the best reporter of the world, respected and working for the Daily Planet and not actually believing in stories about angels and stuff saving people around the world. In fact, she should even be a mentor to inexperienced Clark Kent. Thats the way it works best. You have to grab the best things from every incarnation of Superman and Lois in Lois & Clark was the best thing about the show and the best she was ever written.

Your ignorance about comics is frightening. Siegel created Lois Lane, and I think he had a much better idea of how to fashion her character's progression than your Post-Crisis heroes.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

SuperDaniel

 

[DavidTyler]

It's beginning to look like this thread is getting off topic....


The intention of this thread is to get people talking about how they want to see the cast portrayed in a new film... not about the film itself.

We can talk about Lois's background without implying that a film will be centered around it.

There are already other threads about what the next film should be like.

Please stay on topic.

Thanks

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Okay... my Superman portrayal:

He would *****slap everyone who insists he has to be "relatable", "down to earth", "human" and "vulnerable". He would cripple people who call him "just a farmboy", "not as smart as Batman" and "boy scout".

 

[NeoRanger]

^ Really? I always found Golden Age Clark Kent considerably relatable.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

expl-ai-n