It's not my favourite approach, but I did like Ordway's run and that was definitely super-Billy. And I would guess that it made for the best pitch - it's Big with superheroes!
And a good pitch is often the most important thing in getting a film made.
Plus, you can point to decades of success around the world with Magical Girl cartoons which tend to make the heroic personality the same as the child's.
The idea of an ace kid reporter/detective turning into a completely different adult man with superpowers is a harder sell, one whose main precedent is itself and one that the current publisher has been avoiding for over 30 years.
You could probably still pull off the original Captain Marvel, if you separate him from the rest of the DC universe, as then you can pull off the central wish fulfilment of "what I, the reader, could turn into Superman".
That doesn't work if you have the actual Superman in your world - you can never be him. So it becomes the double wish fulfilment for kids of "I wish I had superpowers" and "I wish I was an adult".
It's not my favourite approach, but I did like Ordway's run and that was definitely super-Billy. And I would guess that it made for the best pitch - it's Big with superheroes!
And a good pitch is often the most important thing in getting a film made.
Plus, you can point to decades of success around the world with Magical Girl cartoons which tend to make the heroic personality the same as the child's.
The idea of an ace kid reporter/detective turning into a completely different adult man with superpowers is a harder sell, one whose main precedent is itself and one that the current publisher has been avoiding for over 30 years.
You could probably still pull off the original Captain Marvel, if you separate him from the rest of the DC universe, as then you can pull off the central wish fulfilment of "what I, the reader, could turn into Superman".
That doesn't work if you have the actual Superman in your world - you can never be him. So it becomes the double wish fulfilment for kids of "I wish I had superpowers" and "I wish I was an adult".
I don't know if I buy that anymore. They could play off of the success of things like Buffy, Scooby Doo, & Stranger Things. Have a group of plucky kids sussing things out and use Captain Marvel as the deus ex machina.
It's not my favourite approach, but I did like Ordway's run and that was definitely super-Billy. And I would guess that it made for the best pitch - it's Big with superheroes!
Big with superheroes was my first thought when I saw the trailer.
I liked the trailer but I also feel mixed about it. I just don't want them making fun of the source material, and the Big stuff sort of feels like that.
It's not my favourite approach, but I did like Ordway's run and that was definitely super-Billy. And I would guess that it made for the best pitch - it's Big with superheroes!
Big with superheroes was my first thought when I saw the trailer.
I liked the trailer but I also feel mixed about it. I just don't want them making fun of the source material, and the Big stuff sort of feels like that.
I can see that. As much as I hate the super-billy take. The trailer did look fun. Just re-title the movie, Prime.
My guess - and that's all this is - is that this will be the "goofy" movie right up until we get the Dwayne Johnson Black Adam movie (assuming we do) - at which point things won't get "dark and grim" but the fun-loving Cap will have to realize with great power comes great responsi- oh wait, that's been used. :)
Bear in mind I'm one of the five people on the planet who liked Bratson ( Johns' take on him for New52 and current). :) Ordway is still my favorite run on the Big Red Cheese but I think this is going to be a worthy take on what Johns set up.
The "Big" version of Captian Marvel... sorry... "Shazam"... is not my cup of tea. Growing up, I always assumed when Billy changed, he changed into his future, adult self, with an adult mind. I have always hated the kid-mind-in-an-adult-body version. He's essentially a mentally challenged superhero.
Also, the Nu52 changed his name to Shazam.. that's the wizard's name... so what is Freddie... "Shazam Jr"? Is Mary "Mary Shazam"?
And that hoodie.....
At any rate, the movie looks like it was made for our moms to enjoy.
I always imagined he transformed into his idealized version of an adult / himself / “super hero”. I also always imagined him as having essentially an “adult” mind, but retained his childish sense of awe, wonder and “innocence” etc I figure that would come from obtaining the “wisdom of Shazam”. Hes infused with knowledge and understanding after transforming, but he’s fully aware of it if that makes sense? He’s added to. Not changed. I prefer seeing little glimpses and reminders of his true age while in his adult hero form. That’s charming and endearing. I’ll be bummed if he’s acting like a goofball kid in an adult body the whole movie like he is in the trailer.
Batlaw, I agree. Although I liked what Geoff Johns did with his backup tale in Justice League (my opinion was influenced in no small part by Gary Frank's art), and my brain tells me the filmmakers would be blowing a golden opportunity to not play up what can make the character different from all other heroes, seeing the idea played out in real life just seems too goofy now. (At least based on the trailer.) I like your idea of making him have a kid's mind, but also some wisdom added to it so it's not so overtly comedic.
I saw a studio screening of the movie on Tuesday. I've decided to abstain from discussing aspects of the movie in detail until after its official release date (though, I did divulge the letter grade I gave it in an otherwise relatively spoiler-free post on twitter (@WhovianTrev , if anyone is interested in knowing what that grade is.)
I will say that there are two credits scenes, one mid-credits & one post-credits.
David_D
Posts: 3,884
Comments
I'm in.
And a good pitch is often the most important thing in getting a film made.
Plus, you can point to decades of success around the world with Magical Girl cartoons which tend to make the heroic personality the same as the child's.
The idea of an ace kid reporter/detective turning into a completely different adult man with superpowers is a harder sell, one whose main precedent is itself and one that the current publisher has been avoiding for over 30 years.
You could probably still pull off the original Captain Marvel, if you separate him from the rest of the DC universe, as then you can pull off the central wish fulfilment of "what I, the reader, could turn into Superman".
That doesn't work if you have the actual Superman in your world - you can never be him. So it becomes the double wish fulfilment for kids of "I wish I had superpowers" and "I wish I was an adult".
I liked the trailer but I also feel mixed about it. I just don't want them making fun of the source material, and the Big stuff sort of feels like that.
My guess - and that's all this is - is that this will be the "goofy" movie right up until we get the Dwayne Johnson Black Adam movie (assuming we do) - at which point things won't get "dark and grim" but the fun-loving Cap will have to realize with great power comes great responsi- oh wait, that's been used. :)
Bear in mind I'm one of the five people on the planet who liked Bratson ( Johns' take on him for New52 and current). :) Ordway is still my favorite run on the Big Red Cheese but I think this is going to be a worthy take on what Johns set up.
Also, the Nu52 changed his name to Shazam.. that's the wizard's name... so what is Freddie... "Shazam Jr"? Is Mary "Mary Shazam"?
And that hoodie.....
At any rate, the movie looks like it was made for our moms to enjoy.
I've decided to abstain from discussing aspects of the movie in detail until after its official release date (though, I did divulge the letter grade I gave it in an otherwise relatively spoiler-free post on twitter (@WhovianTrev , if anyone is interested in knowing what that grade is.)
I will say that there are two credits scenes, one mid-credits & one post-credits.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shazam/