Rise of the Silver Surfer SILVER SURFER/ Lawrence Fishburne, Doug Jones Discussion Thread

[Hunter Rider]

The thing with a script writer is that they have to get payed so a job is ajob until your a recognized writer
Now i'm not saying this guys F4 script is good but it's possible that he has a good script in him but was working for pay with Super Ex Girlfriend

 

[zer00]

Yeah....but it's still Super Ex-Girlfriend

no offense to him I'm sure he's....an excellent cook or something

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I'm in the "wait" camp.

Ideally I'd like to see a three film Doom arc with other villains thrown in . . . and then, for the fourth film, Peter Jackson takes over and does a Galactus story.

Of course that's crazy, and if the second film doesn't kick major a$$, the whole franchise could get dropped, so that might be an argument to go for it now.

If they do go that route, I think the characters that start this film have to be different than they were the last film. They have to be the FANTASTIC FOUR now. The filmakers will have to show that several years have passed, and they have battled many foes at this point and they are a seasoned team. *edit - they may also have to show the Watcher in flashback so we know who he is and know we can trust him when things start going down - that's actually one of the bigger problems with doing a Galactus story so soon*

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

The thing with a script writer is that they have to get payed so a job is ajob until your a recognized writer
Now i'm not saying this guys F4 script is good but it's possible that he has a good script in him but was working for pay with Super Ex Girlfriend

And based on the article, they're viewing multiple efforts, so, in theory, it would have to be a better script than Frost's if they decide to go with it.

If any studio execs would like to send both to me, I'll take a look and provide my input . . . free of charge.

 

[Unlike]

I dont think its a terrible idea to introduce the Surfer in FF2 and give him a minor role.

It will attract more people to the theatres and allow for his spin off movie.

Lets pray they cast the surfer well though.

 

[co2]

Well, I'm a bit disapointed. I want a Surfer origin movie much like what the cartoon did. I would prefer not to have him play 2nd fiddle to FF. I think a Surfer movie with a giant CGI Galactus would be Marvel's Star Wars, but having him in an FF movie just sounds too crowded.

 

[Malus]

They may also have to show the Watcher in flashback so we know who he is and know we can trust him when things start going down - that's actually one of the bigger problems with doing a Galactus story so soon.

I can already see them omitting the Watcher, sadly. Especially if they do more than just introduce Silver Surfer in this movie.
But I completely agree that they must show us that the FF are a seasoned team now, having defeated numerous menaces, or the magnitude of Galactus' threat (and their utter helplessness in the face of it) won't mean much.
They could create a really fun montage with the standard spinning newspapers (ala Spider-man's origin) to convey this.

I would prefer not to have him play 2nd fiddle to FF. I think a Surfer movie with a giant CGI Galactus would be Marvel's Star Wars, but having him in an FF movie just sounds too crowded.

SS wouldn't be playing second fiddle to the FF. Remember: The FF's encounter with Silver Surfer and Galactus is how the character was introduced the first place. I think a Surfer movie without that scenario, especially if it never involves Earth, would fall flat. What would audiences latch onto emotionally? Nothing like seeing your home planet threatened with imminent destruction to get the blood pumping...

 

[adamcz]

Marvel wouldn't take back the rights to SS unless they had the rights to FF. They're not stupid. Marvel is still involved with Fox.

I strongly disagree. Marvel needs to keep getting back big name characters, or they'll be forced to rely on Nick Fury and Shang Chi as their source of earnings growth. Remember that as a company, Marvel has to keep outdoing themselves financially to make themselves worthwhile for investors. Shang Chi will simply not get the job done.

If you want proof, you need to look no further than Iron Man and Hulk. Neither of these films were part of the original 10 included in the Paramount deal, but the moment marvel got the rights back, they were jumped right to the top of the list. Marvel wants to use popular characters.

Why would it be stupid to use the Surfer without F4? SS had his own comic book, and has plenty of stories to tell that don't involve the Fantastic Four. It would be nice to tell their most famous story together, but if more money can be made by Marvel making his movie themselves, they'll do it.

Making money is the goal, and nothing else.

 

[darthlaney]

What if they only cameo the surfer in FF2, and use the Heroes Reborn storyline, where Doom catches the surfer and drains his power cosmic to power himself up.

They could then still focus on Doom's development in Latveria.

FF2, might end with the arrival of Galactus, looking for his missing herald.

FF3 would then be the blockbuster battle to conclude the series.

 

[Malus]

Why would it be stupid to use the Surfer without F4? SS had his own comic book, and has plenty of stories to tell that don't involve the Fantastic Four.

Not stupid, just misguided in my opinion. The Surfer needs to be seen in FF first. It's just he way it was meant to be. The seemingly cold-hearted Surfer discovering he still possesses feelings, finding compassion for the doomed human race, all because of a blind sculptress...

I don't think any of the Surfer's solo stories ever came close to the grandeur of his first few appearances in Fantastic Four. Very few comics ever have.

It would be nice to tell their most famous story together, but if more money can be made by Marvel making his movie themselves, they'll do it.
Making money is the goal, and nothing else.

Well you're probably right about Marvel's attitude, but I hope sensible heads prevail.
The Surfer's origin should be told in FF because that's how it happened.

 

[Kelly]

I'm alittle confused, haven't we already had confirmation that Frost is the writer?....oh well....bring on the SS!

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

Hmmm....

Very mixed feelings about this news...very mixed.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I'm alittle confused, haven't we already had confirmation that Frost is the writer?....oh well....bring on the SS!

*Blinks*

 

[Kelly]

Yikes, I just looked at Payne's writing credits....Mostly from Simpson's fame....I know we have alot of Simpson fans around here...hell even one of my Psychology teacher's uses lesson plans from "The Psychology of the Simpsons". I'm not a fan...

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Not stupid, just misguided in my opinion. The Surfer needs to be seen in FF first. It's just he way it was meant to be. The seemingly cold-hearted Surfer discovering he still possesses feelings, finding compassion for the doomed human race, all because of a blind sculptress...

That's a very good point. Up until now, I've thought they could introduce the Surfer in his own films and then bring them together, but it would change the whole feel of the FF film if the audience knows him ahead of time.

It's much more interesting to have him show up as a cold character who we know nothing about.

I also think it would help the Surfer franchise (and I've made this comment in the past) to start this way. If the FF film is well done, the audience will leave wanting to know more about the character. Starting a Surfer film entirely on it's own would likely be a hard sell for an unfamiliar audience.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Yikes, I just looked at Payne's writing credits....Mostly from Simpson's fame....I know we have alot of Simpson fans around here...hell even one of my Psychology teacher's uses lesson plans from "The Psychology of the Simpsons". I'm not a fan...

Hmmmm, that's interesting. I do like the simpsons. If he's young and was able to get a job writing for them, I think it at least shows he's got some talent and creativity, but there's no real way to tell how he would do on something like this.

I'm willing to give him a shot (and frankly, I'd probably prefer to try something a little different now that Frost has had a chance).

 

[Advanced Dark]

Here's what I think they should do:

I think Doom should be the main focus of FF2 with the Puppet Master but have a sub plot/looming threat of Galactus playing out in the background. As the Doom plot rounds up towards the end of FF2 I think the Galactus/Silver Surfer thread should step up front setting up a separate Silver Surfer feature film featuring the Fantastic Four. Fantastic Four 3 could take place after the events of the Surfer film.

 

[Kelly]

Hmmmm, that's interesting. I do like the simpsons. If he's young and was able to get a job writing for them, I think it at least shows he's got some talent and creativity.

I hope so, you know me....I'll give the guy a chance....but I'm not a fan of the Simpson's....but I know many, many others who are...and there has to be a reason for that....that little series has been around a hell of a long time....and as we know writing is 90% of its success....so we shall see!

My main worry is the fact that they couldn't get all the cgi done for the first movie....and have added probably a fully cgi character...*sighs*...I just hope that they truly listened to the criticism of the first film, and have worked to take care of some of those problems.

 

[Kmack]

Well I certainly prefer Silver Surfer as the main antagonist to Puppet Master

 

[Hunter Rider]

Well I certainly prefer Silver Surfer as the main antagonist to Puppet Master

KMACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Advanced Dark]

I don't think Puppetmaster will be a lead villain overshadowing the continuation of Doom's story. Fox should be careful as the Silver Surfer story can't just pop up and be finished in one movie.

 

[Kelly]

I don't think Puppetmaster will be a lead villain overshadowing the continuation of Doom's story. Fox should be careful as the Silver Surfer story can't just pop up and be finished in one movie.

I have a feeling it will be the set up for the 3rd movie, just as Doom had a set up for the 2nd...

I also think we will begin to see if those who have leaked information ahead of time have any substance to their information...if the Variety article is correct then one of the early leaked information that the script is done, is incorrect.

 

[liesse00]

What if they only cameo the surfer in FF2, and use the Heroes Reborn storyline, where Doom catches the surfer and drains his power cosmic to power himself up.

They could then still focus on Doom's development in Latveria.

FF2, might end with the arrival of Galactus, looking for his missing herald.

FF3 would then be the blockbuster battle to conclude the series.

I wouldn't mind this happening.

Also looking at Payne's credits on The Simpsons he is one of the newer writers that has kept the feeilng of the show like it was back in the day when the show was at it's best so that's good, he has written one of my favorite episodes as well. (The Bart get's what it wants)

 

[adamcz]

Well you're probably right about Marvel's attitude (money as the #1 priority), but I hope sensible heads prevail.
The Surfer's origin should be told in FF because that's how it happened.

This seems to imply that it would be sensible to value telling the stories the right away (as they were in the comics) above making money. Marvel is not a charity for comicbook fans, it is a business, who's sole reason for existance is to make money for its owners/shareholders. Investors buy into Marvel becasue they think that making movies about superheroes and selling related products will make them more money than other available investments would. It doesn't really matter if this means changing or ignoring details about a character for the sake of lots more money.

And trust me, there is a huge difference in profit potential between a liscensed Surfer movie that Fox produces and a completely in-house Marvel Studios production. If the Surfer is introduced through F4, it is likely (though not a gaurentee) it would draw better at the box office, but if done through Marvel studios the much higher % of retained profits could more than make up for it.

 

[Malus]

This seems to imply that it would be sensible to value telling the stories the right away (as they were in the comics) above making money.

No, I'm saying it's more sensible to not fix things that aren't broken and that the Surfer stands a better chance of coming over properly if his character is introduced the way it was done in the comic. At one point there was a Venom movie under consideration, to have no reference to Spider-man. I think we're all glad that didn't happen. Venom's origins are inextricably tied to Spider-man. It's not exactly the same situation with the Surfer, but...I think if the Surfer is not first introduced as an appearingly cold-hearted harbinger of Earth's imminent doom, it just ain't gonna work. His soul's redemption... his turning against Galactus to help save the "ant-like" beings of this planet... that is the way we need to meet the Silver Surfer. Or it won't work. I really don't think it will.

And trust me, there is a huge difference in profit potential between a liscensed Surfer movie that Fox produces and a completely in-house Marvel Studios production. If the Surfer is introduced through F4, it is likely (though not a gaurentee) it would draw better at the box office, but if done through Marvel studios the much higher % of retained profits could more than make up for it.

Except that Marvel hasn't actually shown they can make a movie themselves, as far as I know. Consider that Avi Arad signed off on the bone-headed changes to Dr. Doom in FF 1 and the depressing psychodrama that twisted The Hulk into something it was never meant to be. This man thinks he understands these characters, but in my personal estimation, from the man's own words, he doesn't have a clue much of the time.
I trust Fox over Marvel til the latter prove themselves.
I mean, right now, I don't think they even produce very good comics most of the time. I find 90% of their line unreadable. (And yes, I'd say the same about DC.) There are some wonderful exceptions, but not nearly enough given their output. Most of it is product with the primary purpose of making a buck. Why would their forays into movie-making be any different?