In Contention

Tag: Frank Miller

  • Gaiman: Cast David Bowie as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight Returns’

    I forgot to mention this in the item below regarding that Wired piece featuring Neil Gaiman and the current goings-on in the comic world.  The subject of “unfilmable” comics came up, with “Watchmen” having landed in March and Gaiman’s own “Sandman” at the top of such a list for some fans.

    Regarding Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” — which has, as always, been bandied about as a potential film project in the wake of “The Dark Knight,” some have speculated for “Watchmen” helmer Sack Snyder — Gaiman notes, in passing, a fascinating casting proposition that would frankly be kind of awesome:

    I was reading photostats of Watchmen that Alan would hand me months before they hit the stands, and I would puzzle over everything, putting it all together in my head. That’s a different thing than Dark Knight Returns, where the details of the story are more malleable and simple. Batman comes out of retirement. Cute Robin arrives on the scene. Joker kills himself. Is Batman dead or not? He’s not. There’s not much to unpack. If someone cast David Bowie, as he is now, as the Joker, I think The Dark Knight Returns is doable.

    Alright, someone, somewhere.  Let’s make this happen.  (Although Tim Curry would probably be better.)

    (from left) David Bowie and the Joker from The Dark Knight Returns

  • Comic-Con round-up

    San Diego Comic-Con InternationalI’m heading out the door to hit the Wrath of the Con party tonight, but before I go, I thought I’d link out to the news items worth reading from Comic-Con this weekend.

    At Cinematical, Elisabeth Rappe writes up the “Wolf Man” panel, which included the revelation of the film’s first trailer.  She also calls Marvel’s new animated film “Wolverine vs. Hulk” a “blast.”

    At The Movie Blog, John Campea kicks back with the ladies of “Bitch Slap” (who’ve certainly made the rounds) for an interview at the Marriott.  There’s also some nice video of Entertainment Weekly’s Visionaries panel including Frank Miller, Kevin Smith, Zack Snyder and Judd Apatow.  Strange collective.

    At io9, Charlie Anders writes up the footage-less “Lost” panel with some video tossed in for good measure.

    At Screen Rant, Vic Holtreman live blogs the “Terminator Salvation” panel.

    At /Film, Peter Sciretta passes on Zack Snyder’s revelation during the “Watchmen” panel that the director would be interested in a “Dark Knight Returns” movie.  Who wouldn’t?  There is also the exciting news that Jonathan Nolan was confirmed as the lead writer on “Terminator Salvation” by McG himself.

    That should be plenty to chew on.  I’m outta here.

  • Comic-Con…here we go

    San Diego Comic-ConTomorrow night, the entertainment press will descend upon San Diego for preview night at this year’s annual Comic-Con International. My feelings on this glut-fest are well documented, but even with that in mind, there is simply little to pique my interest as a comic fan.

    Friday’s Warner Bros. panel may have some interesting additives for “Watchmen” (which already launched a trailer last week) and “Terminator: Salvation” (ditto).

    Lionsgate’s “Spirit” presentation can’t possibly offer much more than we’ve already seen in a blanket advertising campaign. And Frank Miller doesn’t exactly dig the festivities in any case.

    Fox’s Thursday presentation offers nothing worth a second glance (though I have an odd interest in “Max Payne”), while Saturday’s offering of a “Pineapple Express” panel is evidence of the Con’s loss of perspective. Not that I’m not interested in the film, mind you, but the studios sank their fangs into the demographic by pushing anything passably Con-worthy on the event years ago, increasingly sucking it dry of life. It all makes me sad.

    But there’s nothing wrong with a giant room full of comics and action figures, not to mention Lou Ferrigno peddling photos for $20 a pop!

    There will be a “Tropic Thunder” screening tomorrow night, while the aforementioned “Pineapple Express” will go before a few critics and journos as well. Be on the look-out for knee-jerk reactions.

    For me, the parties have become the only reason to bother with the convention in recent years. With that in mind, I’ll be heading down Saturday for the Wrath of Con shin-dig — the party of the week. Maybe I’ll corner David Goyer and settle this Two-Face thing once and for all.

  • Miller on Comic-Con

    Variety’s Anne Thompson interviewed “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke and “The Spirit” helmer Frank Miller for her latest column in the build-up to this year’s San Diego Comic Convention.  But Miller pegged this overblown, over-infested blight when he offered:

    It’s now turned into Disneyland, a multimedia congress astonishing in its scale.

    No doubt.  And sad, too.