The Bionic Man

[RetrogradeOrbit]

I just watched the pilot episode. It actually stands up really well. It goes a lot into the psychological effects of having such a terrible accident and the recuperation involved after the surgery. Both mental and physical.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7i409_the-six-million-dollar-man-1-of-4_shortfilms#rel-page-2

 

[Dark Raven]

I prefer the way Austin runs in the pilot and the two TV movies, Wine, Women and War and Solid Gold Kidnapping to the way he runs in the series. I wish they kept that speeded up look to the slow motion running with added sound effects. That never looked very fast at all.

BTW there's a proper 6MDM and Bionic Woman thread here that's not in the "Misc comic films" section:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=341978

It has all kinds of videos and info about the 6MDM box set from Time Life etc.

And The Bionic Woman also holds up very well today. I definitely prefer it to Wonder Woman. Jaime is a very charming heroine.

And both 6MDM and Bionic Woman have more action in it than The Incredible Hulk. There were elements of those series that could've been in TIH, especially since Kenneth Johnson worked on 6MDM and Bionic Woman.

 

[Thundarr]

I prefer the way Austin runs in the pilot and the two TV movies, Wine, Women and War and Solid Gold Kidnapping to the way he runs in the series. I wish they kept that speeded up look to the slow motion running with added sound effects. That never looked very fast at all.

BTW there's a proper 6MDM and Bionic Woman thread here that's not in the "Misc comic films" section:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=341978

It has all kinds of videos and info about the 6MDM box set from Time Life etc.

And The Bionic Woman also holds up very well today. I definitely prefer it to Wonder Woman. Jaime is a very charming heroine.

And both 6MDM and Bionic Woman have more action in it than The Incredible Hulk. There were elements of those series that could've been in TIH, especially since Kenneth Johnson worked on 6MDM and Bionic Woman.

Yeah, whenever I look back at the way they had Steve and Jaime running in slo-mo to represent them running at 60+ miles per hour, I think it's kinda silly. The way they did Steve's son, Mike, running in the made for TV movie "Return Of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman" was much better. I don't really remember the pilot episode of SMDM. I have a vague recollection of him running at normal speed while the scenery around him went by incredibly fast. That probably would have been a better way to go. Maybe it way too expensive to do that on a weekly basis back in the 70's?

 

[Thundarr]

I prefer the way Austin runs in the pilot and the two TV movies, Wine, Women and War and Solid Gold Kidnapping to the way he runs in the series. I wish they kept that speeded up look to the slow motion running with added sound effects. That never looked very fast at all.

BTW there's a proper 6MDM and Bionic Woman thread here that's not in the "Misc comic films" section:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=341978

It has all kinds of videos and info about the 6MDM box set from Time Life etc.

And The Bionic Woman also holds up very well today. I definitely prefer it to Wonder Woman. Jaime is a very charming heroine.

And both 6MDM and Bionic Woman have more action in it than The Incredible Hulk. There were elements of those series that could've been in TIH, especially since Kenneth Johnson worked on 6MDM and Bionic Woman.

I believe that thread is specifically about the TV show. This thread is supposed to be about a movie based on the TV show/comic. But as usual, such threads always break down into discussions about the TV show or the comic rather than the potential/upcoming movie. It just happened much sooner than usual this time.

 

[Dark Raven]

Yeah, whenever I look back at the way they had Steve and Jaime running in slo-mo to represent them running at 60+ miles per hour, I think it's kinda silly. The way they did Steve's son, Mike, running in the made for TV movie "Return Of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman" was much better. I don't really remember the pilot episode of SMDM. I have a vague recollection of him running at normal speed while the scenery around him went by incredibly fast. That probably would have been a better way to go. Maybe it way too expensive to do that on a weekly basis back in the 70's?

In the pilot, they might've sped up the scenery in places, but when he did his first run in the red tracksuit I think they might've sped the film up. However, I do specifically remember that towards the end, when he was running around in the desert on his first mission, he just looked like he was running at normal speed. In the 2 following TV movies though, I think they did speed him up. Apparently the reason they didn't want to do that on a weekly basis was that they wanted to avoid "roadrunner syndrome". I don't think it would've been too expensive to play the film at double speed for those scenes. Besides, they did that frequently in both the 6MDM series and in the Bionic Woman whenever Steve was ploughing the fields or doing other chores, or Jaime was writing on her school chalk board, cutting vegetables, cleaning her house or sawing the end off a chair, so they obviously could do that when they wanted (again, the reasoning being that in those cases, they felt it looked right - imagine doing those activities in slow motion!).

Anyway, those 2 pre-series TV movies are sometimes considered the bastard stepchild of 6MDM - Austin was more like Bond, and also the special effects were different.

I believe that thread is specifically about the TV show. This thread is supposed to be about a movie based on the TV show/comic. But as usual, such threads always break down into discussions about the TV show or the comic rather than the potential/upcoming movie. It just happened much sooner than usual this time.

Well 6MDM has been in development hell for decades. I remember at one time they were going for a comedy vibe and were going to have Jim Carrey, then Chris Rock. That was probably in the 90s. Then later Richard Anderson said he was producing himself, wanted to make a more serious and faithful remake, and wanted "a big, big star". That might've been the 90s as well or 2000s.


I suggested someone like Chris Evans (in Steve Rogers mode) for Steve Austin. Alternatively, someone like Chris Pine might work. Both of those are probably more emotive than Lee Majors, but that might not be a bad thing - at least there's the option to play strong, silent Marlboro Man type if they want, but then act in other scenes. Any of the decent candidates for Captain America, or fan suggestions (who weren't actual candidates) would be along the right lines I think.


For Jaime you need a really good actress who isn't just a blonde babe, and definitely not someone who is just going to act as a tough ass chick. Remember that Lindsay Wagner won an Emmy for her role as Jaime Sommers. She really set the screen alight back in the day. I can't think of someone off hand, and people usually suggest actresses who are just going to seem tough. I did say that in her prime, someone like Helen Slater would've been quite good, although she's probably not as good an actress as Lindsay. You need that innocent-looking type though for Jaime, who is then going to surprise you with how strong she is - not someone who constantly acts tough and independent.

 

[Thundarr]

In the pilot, they might've sped up the scenery in places, but when he did his first run in the red tracksuit I think they might've sped the film up. However, I do specifically remember that towards the end, when he was running around in the desert on his first mission, he just looked like he was running at normal speed. In the 2 following TV movies though, I think they did speed him up. Apparently the reason they didn't want to do that on a weekly basis was that they wanted to avoid "roadrunner syndrome". I don't think it would've been too expensive to play the film at double speed for those scenes. Besides, they did that frequently in both the 6MDM series and in the Bionic Woman whenever Steve was ploughing the fields or doing other chores, or Jaime was writing on her school chalk board, cutting vegetables, cleaning her house or sawing the end off a chair, so they obviously could do that when they wanted (again, the reasoning being that in those cases, they felt it looked right - imagine doing those activities in slow motion!).

Speeding up the entire scene is easy and inexpensive. They've been doing that for years in film and television. I thought Steve was moving at regular speed, and the scenery behind him was moving extra fast. That would require shooting Lee Majors and the scenery seperately. Then splicing them together to make it look like it's all one shot. With todays technology, that's easy. You can do that at home with a video camera, a Mac, and Final Cut Pro 5. But back then? It was time consuming, difficult, and didn't always turn out right.

Well 6MDM has been in development hell for decades. I remember at one time they were going for a comedy vibe and were going to have Jim Carrey, then Chris Rock. That was probably in the 90s. Then later Richard Anderson said he was producing himself, wanted to make a more serious and faithful remake, and wanted "a big, big star". That might've been the 90s as well or 2000s.


I suggested someone like Chris Evans (in Steve Rogers mode) for Steve Austin. Alternatively, someone like Chris Pine might work. Both of those are probably more emotive than Lee Majors, but that might not be a bad thing - at least there's the option to play strong, silent Marlboro Man type if they want, but then act in other scenes. Any of the decent candidates for Captain America, or fan suggestions (who weren't actual candidates) would be along the right lines I think.


For Jaime you need a really good actress who isn't just a blonde babe, and definitely not someone who is just going to act as a tough ass chick. Remember that Lindsay Wagner won an Emmy for her role as Jaime Sommers. She really set the screen alight back in the day. I can't think of someone off hand, and people usually suggest actresses who are just going to seem tough. I did say that in her prime, someone like Helen Slater would've been quite good, although she's probably not as good an actress as Lindsay. You need that innocent-looking type though for Jaime, who is then going to surprise you with how strong she is - not someone who constantly acts tough and independent.

Yeah, I heard about Chris Rock and Jim Carrey being up for a comedic version of 6MDM. I'm glad that was never made, that would have been aweful.

I like your casting suggestions for Steve Austin. In the OP, it was suggested Hugh Jackman for the villain. But what about him for Steve Austin? That could be cool.

I kinda like the suggestion of Jessica Biel for Jaime Sommers. While she's good at playing tough, that's not ALL she's able to do. I watched the first few seasons of 7th Heaven, and she was really quite good in that. Unfortunately, most of the movies she's been in just didn't appeal to me, and those that did weren't very good. But don't judge her acting ability solely from her performances in Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Blade Trinity. Even some of the greatest actors in the world have made some real turkeys. That doesn't mean they're not great actors, just that they were talked into taking roles in crappy movies (Sean Connery and Highlander 2, for example).

 

[Dark Raven]

I like your casting suggestions for Steve Austin. In the OP, it was suggested Hugh Jackman for the villain. But what about him for Steve Austin? That could be cool.

I kinda like the suggestion of Jessica Biel for Jaime Sommers. While she's good at playing tough, that's not ALL she's able to do. I watched the first few seasons of 7th Heaven, and she was really quite good in that. Unfortunately, most of the movies she's been in just didn't appeal to me, and those that did weren't very good. But don't judge her acting ability solely from her performances in Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Blade Trinity. Even some of the greatest actors in the world have made some real turkeys. That doesn't mean they're not great actors, just that they were talked into taking roles in crappy movies (Sean Connery and Highlander 2, for example).

Hugh Jackman actually seems more like Barny Hiller (Monty Markham) the 7MDM. Hiller did go on a crime spree because of a mental breakdown in Season 3. Monty Markham tends to be flashier and more dramatic than Lee Majors, which would actually suit Jackman's personality and stage background. It would make a nice contrast against someone like Chris Evans, who would in some ways be playing almost the same character he was in Captain America.

I've seen Biel in 7th Heaven and I didn't really like her back then. I need to have a think which actress could really embody Jaime Sommers, as we don't want another Michelle Ryan travesty.

For Goldman, I suggested before Bruce Greenwood. I'm not completely happy with him, but he is the type of actor I'd want in that role - someone with authority and almost elder-statesman-like presence. Goldman should seem like a real government man. I have to think which other actors embody that quality.

Still thinking about Rudy Wells (it also depends on which interpretation of Rudy you want to base it on - Martin Balsam from the pilot, Alan Oppenheimer or the most well known of the three - Martin E Brooks). Also there's Jim and Helen Elgin (Steve's mother and step-father) to consider as well.

I would hope they don't go too sci-fi with the movie, but keep it more of a military thriller. I never really liked Bigfoot's alien background. I don't mind him fighting Bigfoot, but I would prefer he is an earth-based bionic creature than one created by an alien civilisation (run by Stephanie Powers). I prefer 6MDM grounded more in reality, with various tech and espionage - much like the Iron Man movies.

I think an interesting plot could have Barney Hiller (played by Jackman) be an ex OSI agent who goes out of control, but is taken in by an enemy organisation who upgrade his bionics and use him to their advantage. Perhaps this enemy organisation could have created Bigfoot as one of their henchmen. Maybe this organisation could even employ Dr Franklin (who created the Fembots and the cyborg Oscar Goldman in the "Kill Oscar" trilogy) who is himself a former OSI scientist. It would be a neat way to tie in all of these characters into one enemy force. I just need to think which of the OSI's enemies could be in charge. I suppose Dr Franklin could, but what are the chances of the head of an organisation also being the main scientist? It's too much work for one man.

EDIT: I've just thought that the head of the criminal organisation could be Oliver Spencer, who was the director of the OSI in the 6MDM pilot (or OSO as it was originally known). It would be a nice way to acknowledge him. It was he who ordered Steve Austin's bionics in the original movie but then it was retconned away that it was Oscar Goldman instead, who replaced him. Spencer was never heard from again. If they made it that Spencer defected and set up a rival organisation, then it would make use of that obscure character. They could even make it that Spencer was the mastermind behind the bionics, but he was in partnership with Goldman, but Spencer wanted to use it for more aggressive means. Then perhaps Spencer could take Dr Franklin and Barny Hiller with him, and Dr Franklin could be the creator of Bigfoot (in addition to the Fembots) instead of those aliens. It would then tie everyone in quite personally to the main heroes instead of just being random villains. They could say that the OSI was originally the OSO (Office of Special Operations - which sounds a more military org) but later changed to the OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence - which is perhaps less aggressive) when Goldman took over from Spencer.

EDIT 2: On second thoughts, that's all probably too much to set up for one movie. I just think that all the above would be far too much to get into a movie and do it justice. I would then just save Dr Franklin (who is more of a Bionic Woman villain) and Bigfoot for the sequel, and just have Oliver Spencer breaking away from Goldman and the OSO (later changed to the OSI), and making the main villain Barney Hiller (the 7MDM). Dr Franklin could be set up in the first movie (as a colleague of Rudy Wells), but only defect at the end and begin working on Bigfoot and the Fembots (who could be teased in the background as a project he's working on on the side). Jaime would also be set up as Steve's love interest, but would only become the Bionic Woman in the sequel. I would even make it that Jaime's parachute is actually sabotaged by the villains this time round instead of it being a random skydiving accident.

Steve Austin vs Barney Hiller would be similar to 007 vs 006 (Sean Bean) in Goldeneye. Barney Hiller can always come back for the sequel, along with Spencer, but then it would allow for more development of Jaime Sommers, Dr Franklin and Bigfoot.

 

[Hypestyle]

I just hope that a "serious" version finally comes out, and not some bizarre comedy version like with Starsky & Hutch..

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

i just hope that a "serious" version finally comes out, and not some bizarre comedy version like with starsky & hutch..

qft

 

[Dark Raven]

I've thought of a role that Nicholas Cage could suitably play:

Samuel Goldman, Oscar Goldman's dead brother, whom Jaime encounters in this closet on a ship. Samuel Goldman died during Pearl Harbour when Oscar was 11, but his body was later discovered (it was hidden in a ship for decades). There's a close resemblance there between that skeleton and one of Nic Cage's movie characters whom he's had much experience playing.

 

[SoulManX]

Hugh Jackman actually seems more like Barny Hiller (Monty Markham) the 7MDM. Hiller did go on a crime spree because of a mental breakdown in Season 3. Monty Markham tends to be flashier and more dramatic than Lee Majors, which would actually suit Jackman's personality and stage background. It would make a nice contrast against someone like Chris Evans, who would in some ways be playing almost the same character he was in Captain America.

I've seen Biel in 7th Heaven and I didn't really like her back then. I need to have a think which actress could really embody Jaime Sommers, as we don't want another Michelle Ryan travesty.

For Goldman, I suggested before Bruce Greenwood. I'm not completely happy with him, but he is the type of actor I'd want in that role - someone with authority and almost elder-statesman-like presence. Goldman should seem like a real government man. I have to think which other actors embody that quality.

Still thinking about Rudy Wells (it also depends on which interpretation of Rudy you want to base it on - Martin Balsam from the pilot, Alan Oppenheimer or the most well known of the three - Martin E Brooks). Also there's Jim and Helen Elgin (Steve's mother and step-father) to consider as well.

I would hope they don't go too sci-fi with the movie, but keep it more of a military thriller. I never really liked Bigfoot's alien background. I don't mind him fighting Bigfoot, but I would prefer he is an earth-based bionic creature than one created by an alien civilisation (run by Stephanie Powers). I prefer 6MDM grounded more in reality, with various tech and espionage - much like the Iron Man movies.

I think an interesting plot could have Barney Hiller (played by Jackman) be an ex OSI agent who goes out of control, but is taken in by an enemy organisation who upgrade his bionics and use him to their advantage. Perhaps this enemy organisation could have created Bigfoot as one of their henchmen. Maybe this organisation could even employ Dr Franklin (who created the Fembots and the cyborg Oscar Goldman in the "Kill Oscar" trilogy) who is himself a former OSI scientist. It would be a neat way to tie in all of these characters into one enemy force. I just need to think which of the OSI's enemies could be in charge. I suppose Dr Franklin could, but what are the chances of the head of an organisation also being the main scientist? It's too much work for one man.

EDIT: I've just thought that the head of the criminal organisation could be Oliver Spencer, who was the director of the OSI in the 6MDM pilot (or OSO as it was originally known). It would be a nice way to acknowledge him. It was he who ordered Steve Austin's bionics in the original movie but then it was retconned away that it was Oscar Goldman instead, who replaced him. Spencer was never heard from again. If they made it that Spencer defected and set up a rival organisation, then it would make use of that obscure character. They could even make it that Spencer was the mastermind behind the bionics, but he was in partnership with Goldman, but Spencer wanted to use it for more aggressive means. Then perhaps Spencer could take Dr Franklin and Barny Hiller with him, and Dr Franklin could be the creator of Bigfoot (in addition to the Fembots) instead of those aliens. It would then tie everyone in quite personally to the main heroes instead of just being random villains. They could say that the OSI was originally the OSO (Office of Special Operations - which sounds a more military org) but later changed to the OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence - which is perhaps less aggressive) when Goldman took over from Spencer.

EDIT 2: On second thoughts, that's all probably too much to set up for one movie. I just think that all the above would be far too much to get into a movie and do it justice. I would then just save Dr Franklin (who is more of a Bionic Woman villain) and Bigfoot for the sequel, and just have Oliver Spencer breaking away from Goldman and the OSO (later changed to the OSI), and making the main villain Barney Hiller (the 7MDM). Dr Franklin could be set up in the first movie (as a colleague of Rudy Wells), but only defect at the end and begin working on Bigfoot and the Fembots (who could be teased in the background as a project he's working on on the side). Jaime would also be set up as Steve's love interest, but would only become the Bionic Woman in the sequel. I would even make it that Jaime's parachute is actually sabotaged by the villains this time round instead of it being a random skydiving accident.

Steve Austin vs Barney Hiller would be similar to 007 vs 006 (Sean Bean) in Goldeneye. Barney Hiller can always come back for the sequel, along with Spencer, but then it would allow for more development of Jaime Sommers, Dr Franklin and Bigfoot.

Get on the screenplay now man! I would love to see your vision.

 

[Dark Raven]

Get on the screenplay now man! I would love to see your vision.

THanks. Glad you like it.

Other things I would do are:

1) Instead of making it a spin-off movie, I would actually title the 2nd movie "The Bionic Woman" and have it a direct sequel to the Bionic Man. That way Steve Austin would have just as big a role in the follow up instead of the usual cameo (like you might get in Elektra or Christopher Reeve's poster in Supergirl). It would simply be the 2nd movie, just with a different title, like all the Bond films have different titles or TDK being the sequel to Batman Begins.

Since Steve Austin did have a large role in the original Bionic Woman introductory episodes and also an ongoing presence even in her own series, this would be a way to pay homage to that. It would see Jaime learning to use her bionics with Steve mentoring her. Then their mission would be to take down Dr Franklin, Bigfoot and the Fembots.

2) I would combine Jaime's nemesis Lisa Galloway (from the Emmy award-winning episode "Deadly Ringer") with the Fembots concept. Instead of Galloway simply being someone who had plastic surgery to look like Jaime and then started thinking she really was her (and taking the drug adrenalazine to make her strong) I would have her worked on by Dr Franklin. She would have a removable face just like the Fembots so that she can actually change identities to impersonate anyone she wants (not just Jaime), and her voice can be modified as and when needed. She might be part human (maybe Galloway's consciousness is put into a Fembot body, which drives her insane) but definitely more of a technological match this time.

3) I might even suggest Barny Hiller is a fellow Airforce pilot and astronaut instead of being a racecar driver (as he originally was). He might even be a jealous rival of Austin. Perhaps he wanted to make the test flight that Steve Austin made, but was kicked out at the last minute. Then he sabotaged Austin's flight that led to the near fatal crash. Thinking he had gotten rid of Austin, little did Hiller suspect that his rival would be brought back stronger and faster than before.

Then I would maybe even suggest that Hiller demands that Rudy Wells also makes him bionic when he discovers Austin's newfound powers, but Wells refuses. So Hiller goes to Franklin for help. However, Franklin's version of bionics and robotics is more dangerous than Wells, which is why it is so unstable and creates a more killer instinct in Hiller. If you want a nod to Hiller's race car driver origin, you could say that Hiller has an accident in a fast sports car while driving in a fury (or during a car chase).

If you really wanted to tie it into the comic, you could even say that Hiller is the villain Hull.

4) I would also give both Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers bionic backs, as they could never lift anything properly without doing their back in while on a mission or even household chores.

5) I would retain that shadowy group that Oliver Spencer met with in the 6MDM pilot who seemed to be the ones who approved the bionics. This shadowy group could be the eventual villanous organisation that Oliver Spencer joins, leaving the OSI in the hands of Oscar Goldman. I'm not sure what you could call them, but the name of the project that gave birth to both Austin and Hiller was known as Project: Cyborg. I suppose that sounds ominous enough as the villanous organisation, and would fit with Dr Franklin working there and carrying out his mad experiments with the Fembots and Bigfoot.

With Oliver Spencer, Barny Hiller, Lisa Galloway and Dr Franklin, you've effectively got personal nemeses for Oscar Goldman, Steve Austin, Jaime Sommers and Rudy Wells respectively as well as tying everything into the franchise's history.

 

[Dark Raven]

BTW here are pictures of Barney Hiller (Monte Markham) as the off-kilter, pyschologically unstable Seven Million Dollar Man:

Now tell me Hugh Jackman doesn't seem more suited this role than Steve Austin!

 

[SoulManX]

THanks. Glad you like it.

Other things I would do are:

1) Instead of making it a spin-off movie, I would actually title the 2nd movie "The Bionic Woman" and have it a direct sequel to the Bionic Man. That way Steve Austin would have just as big a role in the follow up instead of the usual cameo (like you might get in Elektra or Christopher Reeve's poster in Supergirl). It would simply be the 2nd movie, just with a different title, like all the Bond films have different titles or TDK being the sequel to Batman Begins.

Since Steve Austin did have a large role in the original Bionic Woman introductory episodes and also an ongoing presence even in her own series, this would be a way to pay homage to that. It would see Jaime learning to use her bionics with Steve mentoring her. Then their mission would be to take down Dr Franklin, Bigfoot and the Fembots.

2) I would combine Jaime's nemesis Lisa Galloway (from the Emmy award-winning episode "Deadly Ringer") with the Fembots concept. Instead of Galloway simply being someone who had plastic surgery to look like Jaime and then started thinking she really was her (and taking the drug adrenalazine to make her strong) I would have her worked on by Dr Franklin. She would have a removable face just like the Fembots so that she can actually change identities to impersonate anyone she wants (not just Jaime), and her voice can be modified as and when needed. She might be part human (maybe Galloway's consciousness is put into a Fembot body, which drives her insane) but definitely more of a technological match this time.

3) I might even suggest Barny Hiller is a fellow Airforce pilot and astronaut instead of being a racecar driver (as he originally was). He might even be a jealous rival of Austin. Perhaps he wanted to make the test flight that Steve Austin made, but was kicked out at the last minute. Then he sabotaged Austin's flight that led to the near fatal crash. Thinking he had gotten rid of Austin, little did Hiller suspect that his rival would be brought back stronger and faster than before.

Then I would maybe even suggest that Hiller demands that Rudy Wells also makes him bionic when he discovers Austin's newfound powers, but Wells refuses. So Hiller goes to Franklin for help. However, Franklin's version of bionics and robotics is more dangerous than Wells, which is why it is so unstable and creates a more killer instinct in Hiller. If you want a nod to Hiller's race car driver origin, you could say that Hiller has an accident in a fast sports car while driving in a fury (or during a car chase).

If you really wanted to tie it into the comic, you could even say that Hiller is the villain Hull.

4) I would also give both Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers bionic backs, as they could never lift anything properly without doing their back in while on a mission or even household chores.

5) I would retain that shadowy group that Oliver Spencer met with in the 6MDM pilot who seemed to be the ones who approved the bionics. This shadowy group could be the eventual villanous organisation that Oliver Spencer joins, leaving the OSI in the hands of Oscar Goldman. I'm not sure what you could call them, but the name of the project that gave birth to both Austin and Hiller was known as Project: Cyborg. I suppose that sounds ominous enough as the villanous organisation, and would fit with Dr Franklin working there and carrying out his mad experiments with the Fembots and Bigfoot.

With Oliver Spencer, Barny Hiller, Lisa Galloway and Dr Franklin, you've effectively got personal nemeses for Oscar Goldman, Steve Austin, Jaime Sommers and Rudy Wells respectively as well as tying everything into the franchise's history.

Love it love it LOVE IT! Now here is a man that knows his 6MDM history!

 

[SoulManX]

http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/rumor-bryan-singer-leonardo-dicaprio-for-six-billion-dollar-man/


Rumor: Bryan Singer & Leonardo DiCaprio for 'Six Billion Dollar Man?

 

[Dark Raven]

Leo as Steve Austin would be bloody awful. We need someone a bit younger anyway, and more in shape. We don't want Steve Austin as he was in the Bionic reunion movies.

It also seems to be more of a direct readaptation of Cyborg by Martin Caidin than just a remake of 6MDM. That might be a mistake, as people would be expecting to see the series with all of its characters such as Jaime Sommers. Also, Austin is more of a cold blooded killer in the novels. Most people don't even know the novel Cyborg, and without 6MDM it would've probably faded into obscurity.

 

[SoulManX]

Leo as Steve Austin would be bloody awful. We need someone a bit younger anyway, and more in shape. We don't want Steve Austin as he was in the Bionic reunion movies.

It also seems to be more of a direct readaptation of Cyborg by Martin Caidin than just a remake of 6MDM. That might be a mistake, as people would be expecting to see the series with all of its characters such as Jaime Sommers. Also, Austin is more of a cold blooded killer in the novels. Most people don't even know the novel Cyborg, and without 6MDM it would've probably faded into obscurity.

 

[Thundarr]

Hugh Jackman actually seems more like Barny Hiller (Monty Markham) the 7MDM. Hiller did go on a crime spree because of a mental breakdown in Season 3. Monty Markham tends to be flashier and more dramatic than Lee Majors, which would actually suit Jackman's personality and stage background. It would make a nice contrast against someone like Chris Evans, who would in some ways be playing almost the same character he was in Captain America.

I've seen Biel in 7th Heaven and I didn't really like her back then. I need to have a think which actress could really embody Jaime Sommers, as we don't want another Michelle Ryan travesty.

For Goldman, I suggested before Bruce Greenwood. I'm not completely happy with him, but he is the type of actor I'd want in that role - someone with authority and almost elder-statesman-like presence. Goldman should seem like a real government man. I have to think which other actors embody that quality.

Still thinking about Rudy Wells (it also depends on which interpretation of Rudy you want to base it on - Martin Balsam from the pilot, Alan Oppenheimer or the most well known of the three - Martin E Brooks). Also there's Jim and Helen Elgin (Steve's mother and step-father) to consider as well.

I would hope they don't go too sci-fi with the movie, but keep it more of a military thriller. I never really liked Bigfoot's alien background. I don't mind him fighting Bigfoot, but I would prefer he is an earth-based bionic creature than one created by an alien civilisation (run by Stephanie Powers). I prefer 6MDM grounded more in reality, with various tech and espionage - much like the Iron Man movies.

I think an interesting plot could have Barney Hiller (played by Jackman) be an ex OSI agent who goes out of control, but is taken in by an enemy organisation who upgrade his bionics and use him to their advantage. Perhaps this enemy organisation could have created Bigfoot as one of their henchmen. Maybe this organisation could even employ Dr Franklin (who created the Fembots and the cyborg Oscar Goldman in the "Kill Oscar" trilogy) who is himself a former OSI scientist. It would be a neat way to tie in all of these characters into one enemy force. I just need to think which of the OSI's enemies could be in charge. I suppose Dr Franklin could, but what are the chances of the head of an organisation also being the main scientist? It's too much work for one man.

EDIT: I've just thought that the head of the criminal organisation could be Oliver Spencer, who was the director of the OSI in the 6MDM pilot (or OSO as it was originally known). It would be a nice way to acknowledge him. It was he who ordered Steve Austin's bionics in the original movie but then it was retconned away that it was Oscar Goldman instead, who replaced him. Spencer was never heard from again. If they made it that Spencer defected and set up a rival organisation, then it would make use of that obscure character. They could even make it that Spencer was the mastermind behind the bionics, but he was in partnership with Goldman, but Spencer wanted to use it for more aggressive means. Then perhaps Spencer could take Dr Franklin and Barny Hiller with him, and Dr Franklin could be the creator of Bigfoot (in addition to the Fembots) instead of those aliens. It would then tie everyone in quite personally to the main heroes instead of just being random villains. They could say that the OSI was originally the OSO (Office of Special Operations - which sounds a more military org) but later changed to the OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence - which is perhaps less aggressive) when Goldman took over from Spencer.

EDIT 2: On second thoughts, that's all probably too much to set up for one movie. I just think that all the above would be far too much to get into a movie and do it justice. I would then just save Dr Franklin (who is more of a Bionic Woman villain) and Bigfoot for the sequel, and just have Oliver Spencer breaking away from Goldman and the OSO (later changed to the OSI), and making the main villain Barney Hiller (the 7MDM). Dr Franklin could be set up in the first movie (as a colleague of Rudy Wells), but only defect at the end and begin working on Bigfoot and the Fembots (who could be teased in the background as a project he's working on on the side). Jaime would also be set up as Steve's love interest, but would only become the Bionic Woman in the sequel. I would even make it that Jaime's parachute is actually sabotaged by the villains this time round instead of it being a random skydiving accident.

Steve Austin vs Barney Hiller would be similar to 007 vs 006 (Sean Bean) in Goldeneye. Barney Hiller can always come back for the sequel, along with Spencer, but then it would allow for more development of Jaime Sommers, Dr Franklin and Bigfoot.

I like a lot of what you've written. The only thing is, I think you might be trying to fit too much from the series into the movies. I think that Bigfoot and the fembots could be eliminated from your story completely.

But I like your idea of making Oliver Spencer the head villain, and Barney Hiller as the 7MDM. And making Lisa Galloway as Jaime Sommers' nemesis in the sequel, with her parachute not opening due to sabotage is great too. Maybe Lisa and Barney are early recipients of bionics who couldn't handle the mental strain and end up going rogue? And I definitely agree that they should ALL have bionic spines, as you said, they wouldn't be able to use their superhuman strength without them. It might even be "necessary" in order for their bionic limbs to receive messages from their brains.

Just my two bits worth.

 

[Dark Raven]

I like a lot of what you've written. The only thing is, I think you might be trying to fit too much from the series into the movies. I think that Bigfoot and the fembots could be eliminated from your story completely.

But I like your idea of making Oliver Spencer the head villain, and Barney Hiller as the 7MDM. And making Lisa Galloway as Jaime Sommers' nemesis in the sequel, with her parachute not opening due to sabotage is great too. Maybe Lisa and Barney are early recipients of bionics who couldn't handle the mental strain and end up going rogue? And I definitely agree that they should ALL have bionic spines, as you said, they wouldn't be able to use their superhuman strength without them. It might even be "necessary" in order for their bionic limbs to receive messages from their brains.

Just my two bits worth.

Thanks. I just put the Fembots and Bigfoot in there because they were iconic villains in multi-story arcs in the original series. I was thinking of them more as just henchmen/muscle (especially the Fembots who would be more like an army of drones for the Bionic duo to fight in the end) who wouldn't have a main arc at all and wouldn't have much personality anyway. It would just be a way to get Dr Franklin in there (who would be the scientist in charge of the villainous bionic people). He's known for creating the Fembots, so they could just be in the background, otherwise it means that the only people that either Steve or Jaime fight are either Barney Hiller or Lisa Galloway.

Those two villains are more for the emotional arc of the story as personal nemeses. The Fembots and Bigfoot aren't characters you would ever really use as anything personal. The Fembots in particular would be just (very tough) cannon fodder - kind of like the Stormtroopers in Star Wars. Oliver Spencer would be more like the Emperor, while Barney Hiller and Lisa Galloway would be like Darth Vader and Darth Maul. Bigfoot like Chewbacca? Or something like that. The analogy breaks down eventually, but you get the rough idea.

 

[Thundarr]

Maybe have Bigfoot and the Fembots in the sequel then. Start it off with them making a couple of bionic agents, Barney Hiller and Lisa Galloway. Maybe they were soldiers injured in Iraq, or deep cover CIA operatives injured on assignment. They can't handle the psychological stress of being bionic and go rogue. Oliver Spencer and Doctor Franklin are dismissed for allowing that to happen, and are replaced with Oscar Goldman and Doctor Rudy Wells.

Rudy refines the technique designed by Franklin, and Oscar stumbles upon a new test subject. Recently injured test pilot, Colonel Steven Austin. They give him the bionic upgrade and, unlike his predecessors, he manages to handle the psychological strain.

Meanwhile, Spencer and Franklin, upset over their (in their minds) unjustified dismissals, become terrorists. They team up with Hiller and Galloway and begin attacking the very people they used to protect. Then it's up to Steve and his newly acquired abilities to stop them. That puts ONE bionic person against TWO.

Then in the sequel, Jaime Sommers is nearly killed in an apparent skydiving accident. When it is discovered that her chute was sabotaged in order to get to her boyfriend, Col. Steve Austin, Col. Austin demands that Oscar and Rudy use bionics to save Jaime's life. They agree, and she's made into The Bionic Woman. Once she's learned to control her new abilities, they go to find who tried to kill her and bring them to justice. They discover that it was Hiller and Galloway, who were defeated in the previous movie but neither killed nor captured. The same with Spencer and Franklin. Franklin had been working on his bionics designs, so that he might make upgrades to Hiller's and Galloway's implants and bionic limbs. He built Bigfoot as a test subject, trying new bionics out on a gigantic android. As is often the case, new technology is big and bulky (1980's cellphones) but gets streamlined as the technology is improved upon (BlackBerry phone). Which is how & why he built the fembots (the streamlined versions). He also needs foot-soldiers with no emotional problems or alterior motives, like Hiller and Galloway do. Then when Steve and Jaime infiltrate the enemy hideout, Franklin activates the fembots and sends them to kill the two bionic agents. Thus we get the epic bionic battle between Steve and Jaime, Bigfoot and the fembots, as well as Hiller and Galloway.

 

[SoulManX]

I love this thread!!!!

 

[Dark Raven]

Maybe have Bigfoot and the Fembots in the sequel then. Start it off with them making a couple of bionic agents, Barney Hiller and Lisa Galloway. Maybe they were soldiers injured in Iraq, or deep cover CIA operatives injured on assignment. They can't handle the psychological stress of being bionic and go rogue. Oliver Spencer and Doctor Franklin are dismissed for allowing that to happen, and are replaced with Oscar Goldman and Doctor Rudy Wells.

Rudy refines the technique designed by Franklin, and Oscar stumbles upon a new test subject. Recently injured test pilot, Colonel Steven Austin. They give him the bionic upgrade and, unlike his predecessors, he manages to handle the psychological strain.

Meanwhile, Spencer and Franklin, upset over their (in their minds) unjustified dismissals, become terrorists. They team up with Hiller and Galloway and begin attacking the very people they used to protect. Then it's up to Steve and his newly acquired abilities to stop them. That puts ONE bionic person against TWO.

Then in the sequel, Jaime Sommers is nearly killed in an apparent skydiving accident. When it is discovered that her chute was sabotaged in order to get to her boyfriend, Col. Steve Austin, Col. Austin demands that Oscar and Rudy use bionics to save Jaime's life. They agree, and she's made into The Bionic Woman. Once she's learned to control her new abilities, they go to find who tried to kill her and bring them to justice. They discover that it was Hiller and Galloway, who were defeated in the previous movie but neither killed nor captured. The same with Spencer and Franklin. Franklin had been working on his bionics designs, so that he might make upgrades to Hiller's and Galloway's implants and bionic limbs. He built Bigfoot as a test subject, trying new bionics out on a gigantic android. As is often the case, new technology is big and bulky (1980's cellphones) but gets streamlined as the technology is improved upon (BlackBerry phone). Which is how & why he built the fembots (the streamlined versions). He also needs foot-soldiers with no emotional problems or alterior motives, like Hiller and Galloway do. Then when Steve and Jaime infiltrate the enemy hideout, Franklin activates the fembots and sends them to kill the two bionic agents. Thus we get the epic bionic battle between Steve and Jaime, Bigfoot and the fembots, as well as Hiller and Galloway.

I like your treatment. I was only really thinking of having Bigfoot and the Fembots in the sequel anyway, but just having the Fembots in the background (eg in a lab) in the first movie, showing that Frankin is actually working on them, so that it doesn't look like they were just pulled out of a hat for the 2nd movie. At least if they're there, it looks like they were planned all along.

The only thing I might change is have Galloway "Bionic" in the sequel so that it could be the 6MDM vs the 7MDM in the first movie. You could still have Galloway there, but not yet augmented. Or perhaps Galloway shouldn't be another "bionic woman" as such, but either to make it that she derives her super strength from the Adrenalizine drug (as in the series), which is what makes her mentally unstable. However, she could potentially start out that way in the first movie and then later receive a technological upgrade in the sequel.

The other thing I was thinking is that rather than make her bionic, have her consciousness transplanted into a Fembot (similar to how Dr Franklin's "son" was actually part of Franklin's soul/ memories put into a robot body to commemorate his dead son who died as a baby). Maybe she was too badly damaged/ virtually dead in the first movie (eg there's nothing much left of her body except her mind), so that is the only way to save her, since it's easier (so Franklin reasons) to just put her mind in a new body than having to rebuild an entire one around the bare remains of her original body from scratch. That way Galloway would have this ability to switch faces and change her voice. That would be an actual nod to her character in the series (substituting a switchable face plate for the plastic surgery idea), otherwise if you just have her as another bionic woman, it loses one of the most essential traits of her character (the idea of impersonating someone else and then thinking they are the actual person) and makes her Lisa Galloway in name only.

BTW, there needs to be a reason to justify why Franklin primarily uses female robots instead of male ones (although he did have the Franklin Jr bot and the Oscar bot in the series). What should we say? That he's some kind of pervert who keeps trying to build the perfect woman (maybe he sees them as advanced sex dolls)? Or maybe he's traumatised by the death of his wife (perhaps he tried to save her with bionics but couldn't) and that's why, in his mind, he keeps trying to rebuild her again and again (perhaps some of the Fembots are made in her image?). I think the second idea sounds more acceptable than the pervert idea.

 

[Dark Raven]

BTW, if you go to http://www.thesixmilliondollarman.tv and click on the episode player, you can watch the episodes online for free in high quality. It's only starting from Season 4 at the moment but they'll go back later (after Season 5) and add the earlier seasons. Apparently the earlier seasons (1-3) used to be there, but not in high quality, which is why they're just continuing from Season 4 so that people can watch it from where they left off.

Season 4 and 5 aren't as good (and Steve has his porn stache in Season 4) but once those are done we should be getting Seasons 1-3 if we're patient.

 

[Thundarr]

I like your treatment. I was only really thinking of having Bigfoot and the Fembots in the sequel anyway, but just having the Fembots in the background (eg in a lab) in the first movie, showing that Frankin is actually working on them, so that it doesn't look like they were just pulled out of a hat for the 2nd movie. At least if they're there, it looks like they were planned all along.

The only thing I might change is have Galloway "Bionic" in the sequel so that it could be the 6MDM vs the 7MDM in the first movie. You could still have Galloway there, but not yet augmented. Or perhaps Galloway shouldn't be another "bionic woman" as such, but either to make it that she derives her super strength from the Adrenalizine drug (as in the series), which is what makes her mentally unstable. However, she could potentially start out that way in the first movie and then later receive a technological upgrade in the sequel.

The other thing I was thinking is that rather than make her bionic, have her consciousness transplanted into a Fembot (similar to how Dr Franklin's "son" was actually part of Franklin's soul/ memories put into a robot body to commemorate his dead son who died as a baby). Maybe she was too badly damaged/ virtually dead in the first movie (eg there's nothing much left of her body except her mind), so that is the only way to save her, since it's easier (so Franklin reasons) to just put her mind in a new body than having to rebuild an entire one around the bare remains of her original body from scratch. That way Galloway would have this ability to switch faces and change her voice. That would be an actual nod to her character in the series (substituting a switchable face plate for the plastic surgery idea), otherwise if you just have her as another bionic woman, it loses one of the most essential traits of her character (the idea of impersonating someone else and then thinking they are the actual person) and makes her Lisa Galloway in name only.

BTW, there needs to be a reason to justify why Franklin primarily uses female robots instead of male ones (although he did have the Franklin Jr bot and the Oscar bot in the series). What should we say? That he's some kind of pervert who keeps trying to build the perfect woman (maybe he sees them as advanced sex dolls)? Or maybe he's traumatized by the death of his wife (perhaps he tried to save her with bionics but couldn't) and that's why, in his mind, he keeps trying to rebuild her again and again (perhaps some of the Fembots are made in her image?). I think the second idea sounds more acceptable than the pervert idea.

What if Doctor Franklin does rebuild her body from scratch, but there's so little left of her to use her entire body is essentially bionic? Because there's so little left, she's essentially a fembot. In other words, she's kinda like Robocop. Her brain, digestive system, lungs, and that's about all, were actually salvageable from her original body. Everything else was replaced by bionics. This gives the whole concept a grounding in "realism", as transferring someone's mind into a computer requires a much greater "Suspension Of Disbelief" than transferring a person's brain into a robotic body, or replacing damaged bodyparts with bionics for example.

As for why he primarily uses female robots? Maybe he's a sexist pig who saw The Stepford Wives when he was younger and thought to himself, "That's actually a pretty good idea!" Maybe that was his inspiration for getting into robotics in the first place.

 

[Thundarr]

BTW, if you go to http://www.thesixmilliondollarman.tv and click on the episode player, you can watch the episodes online for free in high quality. It's only starting from Season 4 at the moment but they'll go back later (after Season 5) and add the earlier seasons. Apparently the earlier seasons (1-3) used to be there, but not in high quality, which is why they're just continuing from Season 4 so that people can watch it from where they left off.

Season 4 and 5 aren't as good (and Steve has his porn stache in Season 4) but once those are done we should be getting Seasons 1-3 if we're patient.

You know, between the two of us, I think we have some pretty good movie ideas for The 6MDM and TBW. Maybe we should team up. You write the first draft of the script, and email it to me. I'll read it over and make some notes, send it back with suggested changes to improve the script. Some things may have to be cut entirely, others just slightly altered, to make the movie accessible to the GA as well as enjoyable to those of us long time 6MDM fans. Once we have a finished script we can start shopping it around Hollywood. Odds are no one will take an unsolicited script from a couple of unknowns, but stranger things have happened in the business they call show.