The Official Tom Welling Thread

[The Batman]

no...it'd just be stupid

 

[AgentPat]

*sigh* There is this same stoopid argument in the Brandon R. thread in the Superman forum right now. For those who may not have seen it - someone posted a list of everyone who has played Supes before, and of course.. immediately someone said that Tom W. doesn't belong on it since we don't see him as Superman on the show...

Argh! I should have known better. I think *I* actually started that ball too. I came across an article about past Supermen, complete with comments from Steve Younis. Was a fun read. The list was incomplete though, which of course spurred the requisite addendums.

Anyway, I just got back from reading that thread. *sigh* is right. Those who are bemoaning Welling's inclusion on the list obviously aren't Superman fans, or they know very little about the character. They have no appreciation for what's on the inside because they can't get past what's on the outside - or what's *not* on the outside, as the case may be.

 

[Lara]

I find that completely incomprehensible am I two seperate people the teenage me and the adult me? Of coure not it defies rational thinking. People are one unique person throughout their entire lives. There is no event that makes Superman. You can have Peter Parker before he becomes Spiderman. Kal-el is Kal -el from birth. Superman is a suit, a role not a seperate person. His powers are inherinent with his alien birth.

 

[The Sage]

Superman is more than a suit.

 

[jas01724]

or what's *not* on the outside, as the case may be.

You mean they're complaining about Kal-El being naked all the time? Tsk tsk, some people have no sense of adventure.

*hackcough*

 

[The Navigator]

Superman is more than a suit.

...he's also a cape.

JK.

 

[jas01724]

Routh signed on for 3 movies

Ding ding! Cacophony of bells ringing in my head. Tom only wanted to do two... something that's been bothering me makes some semblance of sense now.

 

[The Sage]

Ding ding! Cacophony of bells ringing in my head. Tom only wanted to do two... something that's been bothering me makes some semblance of sense now.

Could that be another reason?

 

[jas01724]

Could that be another reason?

That would be enough to be THE reason.

 

[The Sage]

That would be enough to be THE reason.

Sounds feasible.

 

[The Navigator]

Yes, indeed. I still say they should have signed WElling. If the first two movies had done well, chances are he'd make a third. Instead they get geek-boy.

 

[jas01724]

I'm not up for any more *****ing/making jokes/being antagonistic about who was cast and who wasn't, but i'm always up for discussing things that, you know, aren't intended to piss people off.

When it was discussed that Tom had signed something, it seemed likely that he'd signed for two. Now did he drop out, or was he dumped? If WB suddenly decided they wanted a three picture deal and Tom wouldn't agree, it would be the latter. Game over.

They'd kill his contract because of their own change of mind... which would be typical.

 

[The Navigator]

I'm not up for any more *****ing/making jokes/being antagonistic about who was cast and who wasn't, but i'm always up for discussing things that, you know, aren't intended to piss people off.

When it was discussed that Tom had signed something, it seemed likely that he'd signed for two. Now did he drop out, or was he dumped? If WB suddenly decided they wanted a three picture deal and Tom wouldn't agree, it would be the latter. Game over.

They'd kill his contract because of their own change of mind... which would be typical.

They might have dropped it due to scheduling conflicts with Smallville. It doesn't look likely that that show's gonna cancel any time soon, and doing a big TV show and a movie tends to run actors into the ground, energy-wise.

 

[Serene]

When it was discussed that Tom had signed something, it seemed likely that he'd signed for two. Now did he drop out, or was he dumped? If WB suddenly decided they wanted a three picture deal and Tom wouldn't agree, it would be the latter. Game over.

This same thought crossed my mind when I read about the 3 picture deal. That's a HUGE commitment for any actor to make. Still.. it would have been sweet to see him do this upcoming film, then a BvS film, and that's it. Maybe that's what he was hoping for as well.

All water under the bridge now...

 

[AgentPat]

When it was discussed that Tom had signed something, it seemed likely that he'd signed for two. Now did he drop out, or was he dumped? If WB suddenly decided they wanted a three picture deal and Tom wouldn't agree, it would be the latter. Game over.

They'd kill his contract because of their own change of mind... which would be typical.

I could see it happening that way. In fact, I'd be lying if it didn't cross my mind a few times after reading about Routh's 3-pic deal. But Warners *always* wanted the actor (whomever that ended up to be) to commit for three. They (allegedly) compromised with Welling because they (allegedly) wanted him for the role, and he (allegedly) was only willing to work with Singer anyway.

In any case, while I'd bet dollars to donuts the two vs. three pic contract factored into the larger equation, something tells me it wasn't the *only* nail driven into that coffin. Something else happened, me thinks. Welling was (ahem... allegedly) WAY to deep into things for Warners to change their minds over a contract that had (allegedly) already been agreed to, if not just verbally, and everybody short of a few Warner execs, who (allegedly) had issues with the casting, was happy.

I think I just broke a record in rumorville. LOL

 

[Timstuff]

Routh is in for three movies? That's interesting, seeing as Bryan Singer will probably only do one.

 

[The Sage]

He's signed for two, Timstuff.

 

[The Sage]

Come on now guys, let's not start another war. Let's face it, if Singer was blown away by Routh's screentest, than that means the guy has some skills, and saying he sucks based on two to four year material isn't going to cut it. Let's stop, be happy, enjoy both SV and SR(Superman Returns). Smallville helped being Superman back to the public, Superman Returns will continue to provide Superman to the public when SV is over. As long as the legacy of Superman lives, we all win.

Peace?

 

[jas01724]

They (allegedly) compromised with Welling

Oooh, they made a compromise! Hee, I know they did, but that makes a nice change given their track record...

they (allegedly) wanted him for the role

They'd hardly make a compromise if they *didn't* want him.

he (allegedly) was only willing to work with Singer anyway.

Dis is not wholly true - basically he just wanted a decent director. McGerm doesn't fall into that category.

Welling was (ahem... allegedly) WAY to deep into things for Warners to change their minds over a contract

Wanna bet?

that had (allegedly) already been agreed to, if not just verbally

Aha! If he agreed to a contract that was a compromise, and then they get their big idea that someone else would be (almost) as good without any compromise being involved at all, whattheygonnado? Contract Schmontract.

everybody short of a few Warner execs, who (allegedly) had issues with the casting, was happy.

Those few Warner execs could be the difference between a green light and a red light, so their opinion matters. A lot. Even if they should just sit up in there offices accepting their salary without having any involvement...

 

[jas01724]

Come on now guys, let's not start another war.

Eh, don't intend to. I'm really happy with Routh and I don't want any arguments over "ooh, so and so should have been cast instead." That said, I am quite interested in discussing why Tom would have dropped out/been kicked out. That has nothing to do with Routh and everything to with WB's generally bad reputation...

Besides. I have a fair idea what went on.

 

[AgentPat]

Come on now guys, let's not start another war...

Peace?

Hey, I'm all for that.

[scratches head]
So, um... what's there to talk about now? J/K

[reviews thread for more fodder for discussion; finds a doozy]

You mean they're complaining about Kal-El being naked all the time? Tsk tsk, some people have no sense of adventure.

Are you kidding? With that body, he isn't naked enough. LMAO!!!

 

[AgentPat]

I am quite interested in discussing why Tom would have dropped out/been kicked out.

Same here. Your counterpoints make sense, James. Who knows, it might have happened just that way. If I recall correctly, Singer met with Routh very shortly after the casting calls went out, which was right after Welling's pow wow w/ TPTB.

 

[jas01724]

Are you kidding? With that body, he isn't naked enough. LMAO!!!

And they also need new photographers for shooting those nude scenes. Most of the ones they have now are WAY too tall.

Your counterpoints make sense, James.

Of course they do! (Wow, being self-aggrandising made me feel a little like Jc. I won't be doing THAT again in a hurry.)

Imagine the scene: Their #1 candidate, a nice young man named Thomas, has agreed to do two movies because he'd like some sort of life after it's over and done with. This is fine until suddenly, out of the blue, those fickle twits over in the WB high-rise decide that they really would like three movies after all. They can't force Tom to accept an amended contract, and they don't want to keep his old one, so they have to wave bye bye and ship him back off to Vancouver.

And we're left with Bryan looking for someone who looks the part, can act the part, and won't mind being locked into a pair of tights for ten years... hope he's not too desperate to use the bathroom.

 

[The Sage]

Here's what I've heard: He didn't want to screentest. If he had screentested, the role would've been his. Any thoughts?

 

[AgentPat]

And they also need new photographers for shooting those nude scenes. Most of the ones they have now are WAY too tall.

The photographers are too tall? Or they make photos of Welling look too tall? Me confoozed.

And we're left with Bryan looking for someone who looks the part, can act the part, and won't mind being locked into a pair of tights for ten years...

*siiiiiiiiigh*

Could be. Hey, if you ever get a definitive answer, let us know eh? Would be satisfying on many levels to know what really happened and be able to put this mystery to bed.