universal studios & compromise of show by humble

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

universal studios & compromise of show

POSTED BY: HUMBLE
UPDATED: Friday, December 19, 2003 16:57
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Saturday, December 6, 2003 5:22 PM

just writing to find out if anybody thinks joss will have to make any compromises to the integrity of the show with universal studios in the making of the firefly movie. i think universal is a good studio for making big budget, popular, movies (jurassic park, mummy, apollo 13, etc). but i was just thinking that new line seems to give more creative license and tends to take bigger risks on it's movies (lord of the rings trilogy, blade, mortal combat). joss mentions that universal studios wants to see a script and that he won't be able to pull one over on them. could this imply possible studio/whedon compromise in order to get a studio version of the show that will appeal to the masses and sell out loyal fans of the show? anybody have any thoughts on this? if possible compromise, what do you think it might entail? (cast change to bigger stars to replace regular cast, more cgi, etc.)

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Saturday, December 6, 2003 5:26 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

More CGI is a given I would think, dispite the excellent job done during the TV run I think Joss & Co will go with more spectacular effects ( as the larger budget will allow )

As for casting, I think the crew of Serenity will be quite safe, although we may possibly see " a name " cast as either a villian or an added in to the story type of role.

" Thats not fair !!!!
I didn't even have a soul when I did that!"

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Saturday, December 6, 2003 6:10 PM

SERGEANTX

With Joss's track record concerning movies, I'm doubting he'll try to get a name star. Even if he does have to make changes to convince Universal of the marketability of the project, I'm sure he'll still have his own way of doing it that will be anything but selling out the loyal fans. He loves tweaking people's expectations too much. I can't imagine him ever cranking out some kind of Bruckheimer blockbuster turd, regardless of the pressures.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Saturday, December 6, 2003 6:18 PM

VETERAN

Don't squat with your spurs on.

The advantage he has is that he's taking the story further rather than writing a screenplay for a story that some people already know. For example Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, great film that it is, was changed signifianctly from the two books that it was based on. Point is, that as long as he maintains continuity with the 'verse as we know it whose to complain.

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Saturday, December 6, 2003 11:18 PM

HUMBLE

i think joss will have to make cast changes for the movie. going with some name actors for box-office draw. then when firefly goes back to the airwaves, the regular cast continues (like the way they did with stargate sg-1). however, i could be and hope i AM wrong (case in point:the star trek movies did well with original casts). however, that doesn't preclude the addition of big name stars replacing nyska, badger, etc. i would like to see tcheky karyo (la femme nikita fame) playing nyska for example. maybe bob hoskins (roger rabbit fame) portraying badger. also put in cameos of btvs and angel cast members. what about anthony hopkins as a blue-gloved man? throw famke jannsen (x-men) as a femme fatale, maybe competition for inara. also on my wish list is richard brooks reprising his role as the psychopathic bounty hunter. anybody have any faves they might like to see in the firefly movie?

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 5:01 AM

OPTIMUS1998

actually one of joss's main sticking point s for the movie deal was using the original cast. he'll fight to keep them.

and just a possible casting choice/ wouldn't it be cool(well to me anyhow), would be Nick Brendon playing Wash's brother or something of that type? might be kinda type casting,(the way i'd see the character , he would be similar to xander) but it could work..........

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 11:01 AM

CALHOUN

No way Humble!

Badger has to be Badger and the same goes for Nyska.

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 12:38 PM

SLOWSMURF

There is NO chance he will replace actors, period.

If he can't use them, the character won't be there.

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 12:55 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

while I think he won't recast characters, I could see upcasting new character especially villians. I don't think it is Joss style to cast too big a name, but say

Sean Bean as a Alliance commander

Lance Henriksen as a senior blue hand guy

Terry O'Quinn for any role

Not really big name, but still a reconizable one

" Thats not fair !!!!
I didn't even have a soul when I did that!"

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 1:00 PM

INVISIBLEGREEN

Um...

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
Sean Bean as a Alliance commander

Lance Henriksen as a senior blue hand guy

Terry O'Quinn for any role

Not really big name, but still a reconizable one

...I don't know any of these people...

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 1:09 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

Quote:
Originally posted by InvisibleGreen:
Um...

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
Sean Bean as a Alliance commander

Lance Henriksen as a senior blue hand guy

Terry O'Quinn for any role

Not really big name, but still a reconizable one

...I don't know any of these people...

Sean Bean from Lord of the Rings ( Boromir ) Sharpe ( as Sharpe ) Ronin, Goldeneye ( the Bond Film ) ... http://www.compleatseanbean.com/

Lance Henriksen from Aliens( Bishop ), Millennium, Terminator ... http://www.web-magic.demon.co.uk/index.htm

Terry O'Quinn from Harsh Realm, Alias, Xfiles, etc ... http://entertainment.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?mp=f&c=228506

Not big names or big paychecks... but if you have seen something they were in, you remember their faces

" Thats not fair !!!!
I didn't even have a soul when I did that!"

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 1:22 PM

HUMBLE

you all could very well be correct about no replacements to original cast. i notice various cast members such as torres and glau getting their feet wet in current movie projects (minor roles, granted). my only concern was that some members of the cast didn't have a whole lot of movie experience. if peripheral characters (played by name actors) are added they would have to be fairly low-key, recognizable, actors. but not so big that they would "steal" the show. i like what sean bean did in lord of the rings (boromir). i thought he really nailed the character per the book. i'd like to see jean reno (the professional) and tcheky karyo(kiss of the dragon) used in some capacity. i think joss could probably get great actors overseas (french,italian,german,english). he would get good, somewhat recognizable stars, that would compliment cast but not overshadow them. on an aside, i recently read universal studios is being sold, and this could present a problem with movie being made. anyone heard any scuttlebutt about this?

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 5:21 PM

INVISIBLEGREEN

Oh, okay. Sean Bean was great in the first two LOTR movies; one of the only good things about the crappy "Two Towers." The other guys I'm still don't recognize.

btw, what's Summer Glau up to now?

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Sunday, December 7, 2003 7:36 PM

HUMBLE

my latest info on summer glau is that she is currently filming "sleepover" she plays the character of shelley (2003). also, she is curently involved in the production of the firefly movie (2004). this info is from a reliable source. she has also made appearances on angel and cold case.

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Monday, December 8, 2003 1:50 AM

NUMFAR

Lance Henrikson was the lead on Millennium, Chris Carter's second series, launched (I think) when The X-Files reached season four. It was another victim of Fox scheduling lasting three seasons before they killed it.

Terry O'Quinn was on Alias throughout the second season (and on the clip show episode from season one). He played Agent Kendall, an FBI director placed in charge of the new CIA operations centre for some unknown reason (unknown because why would they put an FBI guy in charge. By season three he had left and Dixon was in charge.

Anyway, I don't believe there will be any "big" names in the film. I believe that after the problems he had with Fox Joss would walk away rather than have his intentions become compamised.

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Monday, December 8, 2003 2:39 AM

HUMBLE

my sticking point on the absence of name actors in the firefly movie is based on my disbelief of universal studios shelling out say, 30-50 million to "make" the movie. the studio would want some sort of hedge on the success of the project. since making movies is at times formulaic, i see universal leaning on joss to: up the violence, more special effects, stars with proven box office draw, more sexual-oriented content, etc. these and other factors in movies are proven to make even crappy movies look good to the masses as well as to some "critics". i'm a loyal browncoat no matter what happens, but if joss does cave to studio pressures, will you all still be fans as well?

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Monday, December 8, 2003 3:48 AM

INFRA172

Stargate SG-1 was made by an entirely different set of people than Stargate the movie (they sold the rights) hence the cast change. I know Joss wouldn't let any of them go. He spends so much time finding them other jobs.

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Monday, December 8, 2003 7:35 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
Sean Bean from Lord of the Rings (Boromir) Sharpe (as Sharpe) Ronin, Goldeneye (the Bond Film)

I met him as psychopath Sean Miller in "Patriot Games" Had a hard time trusting him as Boromir at first, but I got over it.

Quote:
Lance Henriksen from Aliens (Bishop), Millennium, Terminator

He was also Snow in Season 3 of the nearly forgotten CBS series "Beauty and the Beast" (Zippo *on*), and the sheriff in the movie "Powder". One thing that strikes me with Lance Henriksen aside from his voice is the transforming power of the man's smile. Completely changes who he is.

Quote:
Terry O'Quinn from Harsh Realm, Alias, Xfiles, etc ...

The CAG from "JAG", Howard Hughes in "The Rocketeer" and the infamous Riley in "Earth 2". He seems to like sneering.

Quote:
Not big names or big paychecks... but if you have seen something they were in, you remember their faces

But often spend a lot of time going, "Wait, I know that guy!" Frankly, of the three here, I could see Lance Henrickson or Terry O'Quinn in Firefly. If Sean was in it, probably as some high-falutin' blue-hand baddie. He just does baddies so well!

HOWEVER, I was under the impression that Joss Whedon's deal with Universal was thus: Without the original cast - ALL the original cast - there is no deal. As it has been said here, Universal isn't the only game in town.

Firefly Artwork Series
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

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Monday, December 8, 2003 1:53 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

Quote:
If Sean was in it, probably as some high-falutin' blue-hand baddie. He just does baddies so well!

I had him pictured for a part in a piece of fanfic I was playing with,

As a renegade Alliance officer, who happens to be the older brother of Lawrence Dobson. As we known Mal killed Lawrence during the pilot and Sean will go to any length to have his revenge. This involves playing and double dealing the bluehands, as well as having some interesting conversations with Badger, Niska, Patience, etc sometimes beating info out of them.

In my story he actually thinks the blue hands are the greater evil, and allows Serenity to escape to prevent them from capturing River, because his revenge is for Mal alone.

I should work on that again sometime...

" Thats not fair !!!!
I didn't even have a soul when I did that!"

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Tuesday, December 9, 2003 5:09 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave

Quote:

I had him pictured for a part in a piece of fanfic I was playing with...This involves playing and double dealing the bluehands, as well as having some interesting conversations with Badger, Niska, Patience, etc sometimes beating info out of them.

In my story he actually thinks the blue hands are the greater evil, and allows Serenity to escape to prevent them from capturing River, because his revenge is for Mal alone.

I should work on that again sometime...

So, if you ever need a beta reader for that one, look me up. Why? Because beta readers get to read it before anyone else

(that's my subtle way of saying "Get writing! come on--chop chop! :wink)

Firefly Artwork Series
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

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Friday, December 19, 2003 10:34 AM