Valiant Comics Cinematic Universe

[The Face]

Earlier this year, in the wake of the hack and the spiderman deal they cut with Marvel, Sony anounced they were planning to make a movie based on the Valiant Comics character of Bloodshot. The directors of 'John Wick' have been assigned to direct, the producers have been lined up, the script is ready and the film is aiming for a 2017 release (which means they should probably get on with casting and filming but whatever, I don't run Sony). The Sony and Valiant Comics executives then announced that the Bloodshot film was part of a five picture deal the two companies had struck, two movies about Bloodshot, two movies about the Valiant comics superhero team Harbinger and then a fifth film called 'Harbinger Wars' which will see the the Harbinger team and Bloodshot teaming up.
It is obvious that this is the early stags of a plan for a Cinematic Universe based on the Valiant comics universe. What do you think of this idea? What Valiant comics heroes or teams would like to see get their own movies?
My votes are for X-O Manowar and Solar; Man of the Atom.

The other question I have is why other studios and comic companies haven't struck similar deals? Warner Brothers/DC, Disney/Marvel, and now Sony/Valiant, Why haven't there been more partnerships like this?

 

[metaphysician]

Valiant doesn't have the rights to Solar anymore. The same thing is true with Turok and Magnus.

 

[Yowza]

Glad to see a thread on this.

I think this idea is interesting if the films are good and offer something different. I wonder though if this release will stay the same or keep getting pushed back... It seems Sony tried hard to get ahead of the game pushing for a Spiderman universe until the lackluster reception to the 2nd film, internal issues, and the deal with Marvel was struck. I hope this whole Valiant comics thing isn't just a fallback option or 2nd scenario Sony is going with and the film does get into production.

To answer your question, it certainly seems like a lot of the bigger studios are taking notice of Marvel Studio's financial success. However, with large tentpole projects with millions of dollars and tons of people working on each film it's tough to take risks. I think those that are able to offer something different will reap some reward (or maybe not if only a success with critics). Either way, the more studios that make interconnected films like Marvel has done, the more difficult it becomes to differentiate one studio's films from another (tentpole movies will be harder to differentiate from each other with too many people making ones around similar types of character franchises at once).

I think the greater presence of global box office, ease of distribution, along with enhanced technology and streamlined developmental processes make it easier to facilitate this new trend of movies that are interconnected (yet stand on their own and can take or leave what you like and don't like). Disney seems to be doing it with their Star Wars franchise broadening it out and I think Universal may or may not get something going with their classic monsters. Smaller studios lacking established franchises and big money for commercial properties will continue to make films as is.