User:Wildroot/Silver Surfer

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Silver Surfer
Produced by Avi Arad
Stan Lee
Written by Silver Surfer Created by:
Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
J. Michael Straczynski (screenplay)
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) TBA
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
IMDb profile

Contents

[edit] Development

[edit] Early stages

Bernd Eichinger of Constantin Film purchased the film rights of the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer from Marvel Comics in 1986, while 20th Century Fox quickly signed on as the distributor. Eichinger and Marvel Studios approached George Lucas and Industrial Light & Magic, who found the project to be too technically challenging.[1] Various filmmakers attempted different methods of making the Silver Surfer realistic through visual effects experiments. This included a reverse photographic process by which an actor was painted with black oil, on to which was mapped by silvery light. This method was used for the Lightsabers in the Star Wars film series.[1] Sometime in 1992 Quentin Tarantino, fresh from critical success with Reservoir Dogs, came to Constantin with a script but was turned down.[2]

Erik Fleming and a crew of friends from the USC School of Cinematic Arts convinced Stan Lee, Marvel Studios and Eichinger to let them try their hand at a short film as a means to prove that computer-generated imagery was now advanced to do so. However, once filming began, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released, featuring the chrome-like figure of T-1000.[1] Although this proved that their theories about the possibility of rendering lifelike humanoid figures with quicksilver-like bodies were correct, it arguably made their film redundant as a special effects test reel. One could now point to Terminator 2 to show how Silver Surfer might appear on film. The short film was finished in 1993, and major film studios invited the crew into their offices, simply amazed as to how they completed the film with virtually no budget. When the studios found out they didn't own the rights to the comic book, Fleming and the crew were kicked out.[1] Fleming quoted, "It's suddenly an A-list project, and they have to bring in an A-list writer, an A-list director. That's really just how Hollywood works. We should have signed a deal ahead of time, but we were just too young and naive. Your word is no good in Hollywood. All that matters is a signed piece of paper."[2] Upon viewing the short film Oliver Stone became interested in directing.[2]

[edit] 20th Century Fox

The success of the short film prompted Fox and Eichinger to hire John Turman to write the script, and eventually Richard Jefferies to rewrite Turman's script. Geoffrey Wright became attached to direct Jeffries' script that included the Silver Surfer in the company of a twelve-year-old street prostitute, similar to Jodie Foster's character in Taxi Driver.[1] Rudy Gaines and John Rice were hired to write a completely new script, which showcased the Silver Surfer crash-landing on Earth and being romantically involved with a Brooklyn waitress. He's accidentally transformed into a human being by a secret scientific government project. In addition the Silver Surfer is pursued by a psychotic United States Army General. Gaines and Rice wrote three drafts, and Fox liked the script but felt it was too expensive to put into production, and Wright eventually dropped out of directing.[1]

The project moved to Fox's children's division of 20th Century Fox Animation, which started the Silver Surfer television series.[1] By July 1999, Andrew Kevin Walker was hired to write a completely new script.[3] In May 2000, Marvel Studios brought Artisan Entertainment to co-finance the film.[4] Vin Diesel expressed interest in portraying the lead role,[5] while Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was approached to star.[6] Baz Luhrmann was interested in directing,[7] while Joshua Jackson was interested in portraying the lead role.[8] By March 2005[9] an unnamed "Zen Buddhist with experience in special effects" was set to direct. However, the unnamed director was committed to another film,[10] and difficulty pursued with the Silver Surfer character being too technically challenging to adapt on screen.[11] In the meantime, Marvel and Fox opted for the character to be used in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, portrayed by Doug Jones with voice acting by Laurence Fishburne. Don Payne, co-writer of Rise of the Silver Surfer, expressed interest in writing a new screenplay for Silver Surfer.[12]

Silver Surfer was then put a higher priority than a third installment of the Fantastic Four film series.[13] By June 2007, J. Michael Straczynski was working on a new screenplay,[14] focusing on an origin story. Galactus will be featured, Straczynski noted that Rise of the Silver Surfer held off on showing Galactus to be revealed this film.[15] Jones is signed on for two more films, and hopes that Fox will option him to reprise the role,[16] and would like the opportunity to supply his own voice for the character.[17] A large amount of filming will take place in Australia.[18]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g David Hughes (2002-04-22). "The Silver Screen: Silver Surfer Goes to Tinsel Town", The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 1556524498. 
  2. ^ a b c Beau Yarbrough. "Saga of the Silver Surfer (Film): Making of The Silver Surfer", Comic Book Resources, 2000-05-15. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  3. ^ Michael Fleming. "Marvel takes cue from its superheroes", Variety, 1999-07-13. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  4. ^ Michael Fleming. "Artisan deal a real Marvel", Variety, 2000-05-16. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  5. ^ Rob Worley. "Comics2Film Wrap For April 4th, 2003", Comic Book Resources, 2003-04-04. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  6. ^ Jeff Otto. "The Rock Confirms No More Wrestling", IGN, 2005-02-14. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  7. ^ "Baz Luhrmann doing Silver Surfer?", Comics2Film, 2003-07-22. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  8. ^ Clint Morris. "From the Creek to Comic Books", Moviehole, 2005-02-25. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  9. ^ Stax. "Director Aboard Silver Surfer?", IGN, 2005-03-21. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  10. ^ Stax. "Silver Surfer Director Rumors", IGN, 2005-07-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  11. ^ Stax. "Silver Surfer Stuff", IGN, 2005-05-04. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  12. ^ Emmanuel Itier. "Interview: Screenwriter Don Payne Wants a Cinematic Future for the Silver Surfer - Part 2", IF Magazine, 2007-06-05. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  13. ^ Jake Coyle. "Hollywood Studios Go Sequel Crazy", The Guardian, 2007-07-20. Retrieved on 2007-11-22. 
  14. ^ Rob Worley. "Silver Surfer Spinoff? Thor gets a director?", Comics2Film, 2007-06-13. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  15. ^ Ian Brill. "J. Michael Straczynski Spotlight Panel", Newsarama, 2008-02-23. Retrieved on 2008-03-29. 
  16. ^ Stephanie Sanchez. "Exclusive Red Carpet Interview: Doug Jones", IESB, 2007-12-17. Retrieved on 2007-12-17. 
  17. ^ Edward Douglas. "Doug Jones: No Word on Silver Surfer", Superhero Hype!, 2007-10-25. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  18. ^ Peter Mitchell. "Thor, Wolverine, Silver Surfer in Aussie raid", The Courier-Mail, 2007-07-25. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 

[edit] External links