The "Next Harry Potter"?

[Thundarr]

I agree. Twilight is not the next Harry Potter. Its target audience is too narrow and specific to be the next Harry Potter. IMO, it's a second rate Buffy & Angel story at best.

A possible contender for "The Next Harry Potter" might be the live action adaptation of He-Man & The Masters Of The Universe, assuming they go the same route as the 2003 animated series and make Prince Adam and Teela teenagers. The old series has a loyal following of adults, both men and women, who grew up on He-Man and She-Ra. The 2003 series has its younger fans. And I'm sure there are still little kids out there playing with their He-Man and Skeletor action figures (or even their parents action figures). They would have to do something to heat up interest in the product first, like a new line of comics, novels, starting up the series again, etc. But if they can make the product anywhere near as popular as it was back in the 80's, then that could be our "New Harry Potter".

 

[Troy_Parker]

Sadly, Twilight.

 

[Ipodman]

But twilight isnt that terrific on a critical level... the best twilight is only... 50% on the tomatometer?

All the harry potters are at least 70+ or so i believe

 

[Octoberist]

I think this board is a giant vicious cycle.

 

[ALP]

I think this board is a giant vicious cycle.

Just like this thread at hand...and even life itself.

 

[Reek]

how the hell did twilight even get in the same sentence as harry potter?

 

[DarkSovereignty]

the same way it even got published...i suspect a deal with the devil is afoot.

 

[Reek]

seriously. ****ing twilight? if i knew girls, specifically 12-24 years old, would go ape **** about a ****** franchise just because it had a clever vampire/werewolf way of selling sex, id be rich.

 

[Thundarr]

the same way it even got published...i suspect a deal with the devil is afoot.

Actually I think it got published by a very clever use of a Monica Lewinski impression, if you catch my drift.

 

[8wid]

Jonny Quest if Zac Efron is not in it, it's a little more politically correct, and the characters are all older.

 

[Thundarr]

Jonny Quest if Zac Efron is not in it, it's a little more politically correct, and the characters are all older.

Not a bad pick. Problem is, much like D&D, the show will have to be rebooted with toys, books, comics, etc, in order to pull in the kinda numbers for it to be "the next HP".

 

[DarkSovereignty]

Actually I think it got published by a very clever use of a Monica Lewinski impression, if you catch my drift.

ooooohhhhhh...i see what you did there.

 

[Thundarr]

The problem with choosing "The Next Harry Potter" is that right now there are just so few pop culture franchises about young people that are very popular. Many of us are listing properties that came out in the 80's, 90's, or earier. Things like Narnia, the animated Dungeons & Dragons series, TMNT, Johnny Quest, Buffy, James Bond Jr, Animporphsetc. Because all of these source materials are currently luke warm at best, I doubt movies based on them will have the same impact as HP does. Don't get me wrong, I think all of those properties would make great movies. And if done really well, they may even spark reboots of their respective franchises. But that would make them more "The Next Tim Burton's Batman" or "The Next Batman Begins" than "The Next Harry Potter". Look towards any current or possible future fads, whether they be computer games, a series of novels, comics, or a TV program. If it is hugely popular, revolves around kids thrown into a life of adventure, and there are plans to make a movie out of it, that will probably be our next HP. Of course the story will have to have a much more universal appeal than that second rate Buffy rip-off, Twilight, and the producers are going to have to strike while the iron's hot (and for God sake don't screw it up). Then we will have our "Next HP".

 

[Timstuff]

should of been TLA

quite sad now

On the bright side, we're only 2 books into Chronicles of Narnia right now, with book 3 coming out this Christmas.

 

[GL1]

This I don't agree with. Look outside of Hollywood and you find a ton of original and really interesting films. Just recently there was Drawing Restraint, Surveillance, The Messenger, Secrets of the Kell, and even Pixar's Up. Hollywood is the only place where a lack of creativity seems big.

Good point. I was just talking about Hollywood, but I can specify in the future. Up was Hollywood and both original and good, most of Pixar's stuff is. Good point.

I dont think Twilight is the next Harry Potter because:
1) HP is more universally accepted
2) Twilight isnt really an adventure in my eyes

Thats what it boils down to IMO

In such a case:
Kid characters, larger than life fantasy/sci fi adventures, more successful than Twilight, appeals to men and women, is adventure focused, not character-focused

If those are the criteria, I don't think there will be another Harry Potter, not in the forseeable future. There's no property anywhere on the horizon involving preteen protagonists, and properties with teen protagonists slant heavily to one gender or other (any exceptions?). And honestly, none of the properties mentioned here have a shot in the dark of grossing a billion dollars. None of them will generate ______mania. The idea of a nation obsessed with Johnny Quest or Buffy or He-Man is wishful thinking at best.

Sadly, Twilight.

Hard Truth, FTW.

Something that DOES have potential to cross gender, generate mania and more? Maximum Ride. The director (oddly, the director of the first Twilight film, as well as the indie Thirteen), is having the script re-written for lack of action. I don't have much confidence in the script-writer, hopefully, neither does she. Edit: The writer did FF:RotSS, and Thor, so, who knows, right?

 

[ALP]

Avatar is getting two sequels....closest thing I see as the next HP.

 

[Thundarr]

Avatar is getting two sequels....closest thing I see as the next HP.

Was that based on a pre-existing series of books? I thought it was just a sci-fi version of Dances With Wolves. Dunno if that qualifies it to be our "Next HP" or not.

 

[Thundarr]

Good point. I was just talking about Hollywood, but I can specify in the future. Up was Hollywood and both original and good, most of Pixar's stuff is. Good point.



In such a case:
Kid characters, larger than life fantasy/sci fi adventures, more successful than Twilight, appeals to men and women, is adventure focused, not character-focused

If those are the criteria, I don't think there will be another Harry Potter, not in the forseeable future. There's no property anywhere on the horizon involving preteen protagonists, and properties with teen protagonists slant heavily to one gender or other (any exceptions?). And honestly, none of the properties mentioned here have a shot in the dark of grossing a billion dollars. None of them will generate ______mania. The idea of a nation obsessed with Johnny Quest or Buffy or He-Man is wishful thinking at best.



Hard Truth, FTW.

Something that DOES have potential to cross gender, generate mania and more? Maximum Ride. The director (oddly, the director of the first Twilight film, as well as the indie Thirteen), is having the script re-written for lack of action. I don't have much confidence in the script-writer, hopefully, neither does she. Edit: The writer did FF:RotSS, and Thor, so, who knows, right?

I already mentioned this several times, even when I was posting my suggestions. I wrote, repeatedly, that none of these properties have taken the world by storm the way HP has. They would all require reboots, reimaginings, comic adaptations, childrens' illustrated adaptations, toy lines, etc, etc, etc, before the movies even came out to even be a contender. They could become the "New Batman Begins" or the "New LOTR", meaning movies that rekindle interest in a dead or luke warm franchise. But they don't have what is needed to become the "Next HP". Not right now at least.

 

[ALP]

Was that based on a pre-existing series of books? I thought it was just a sci-fi version of Dances With Wolves. Dunno if that qualifies it to be our "Next HP" or not.

This is true. Avatar would be better described as the "next Star Wars" especially considering it's sci-fi. But that's another thread.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i really think in the right hands masters of the universe could get a decent run. i know WB was thinking this when they had the properity

 

[shinra_27]

I hope the Uglies series gets turned into movies. Scott Westerfeld is a great writer and the stories the awesome.

 

[Brother Jack]

As other have said Twilight is unfortunately the current craze in the field of fantasy books made into movies. I had hoped it would be the Chronicles of Narnia films, and depending on how well the next one does in December it might still be, but the ravenous fans of Twilight are hard to get around.

 

[Ipodman]

The Runaways!

Hows that movie coming along anyways... its like "Yea theres gonna a Runaways movie!" Then nothing else ever since

 

[Doc Ock]

As other have said Twilight is unfortunately the current craze in the field of fantasy books made into movies. I had hoped it would be the Chronicles of Narnia films, and depending on how well the next one does in December it might still be, but the ravenous fans of Twilight are hard to get around.

I sure would like Narnia to be the next Harry Potter....but there is a likely chance it won't be.

 

[Sentinel X]

Twilight is "the next Harry Potter"

1. Based off popular book series
2. Crazy rabid fanbase
3.Box office success
4. Based of children/teenagers

If you are looking for an exact carbon copy of the Harry Potter phenomenon...then good luck. As far as I know Twilight is the only other franchise (as much as it sucks) that matches HP so closely in the above criteria.
The failed attempts were: TLA, Golden Compass, Eragon, and Narnia.