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Comic News for 11/6/09: Spidey 'Toon Rumors, Ed Norton Thoughts, Marvel Q3 report and More!
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Best Spidey cartoon ever has an unknown renewal fate?
SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN CANCELED OR NOT? D-DAY FOR SPIDEY MUSICAL THIS WEEK?
Critically acclaimed but ratings fizzler SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, produced by Sony and the Kid's WB network in it's final hours, before airing for a year on the restructured CW4Kids (current home of the TMNT cartoons) before shifting to DISNEY XD, was the focus of several internet rumors this week about the future. As noted on writer/producer Greg Weisman's blog, production on the series officially ended at the start of the year, as they wrapped Season Two's episode 26. As reported on IGN on September 1st, Sony is no longer in charge of the TV rights to Spider-Man, which is believed to have been a move in anticipation of the Disney merger with them; in exchange for retained movie rights (as each film grosses nearly a billion for Sony), the TV rights have reverted back to Marvel/Disney for Spider-Man to do as they wish (tv.ign.com/articles/102/1020699p1.html). This has left the future of the cartoon in limbo; Greg Weisman has had no word about it since the spring from any official source beyond that the ratings for the show on DISNEY XD were above average (although hardly record) and improving with new episodes, although the DVD's from Sony were not selling well. On 10/29, Newsarama published an article about Marvel's slate of cartoons here, including a hi resolution image of the PLANET HULK cover (www.newsarama.com/tv/091029-animated-shorts-marvel-animation.html) in which head Marvel animation honchos Eric Rollman and Chris Yost claimed that the SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN show was "over and done". A few hours later, however, Toonzone's Marvel Animation Age interviewed Eric Rollman who claimed that no decision had been reached either way about the cartoon ( forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php). The facts of the matter are thus: technically, the Sony produced cartoon is finished. The creators and actors of the cartoon were hired by Sony and were employed by Sony Animation, which has since folded. They are employed in other projects now. However, if the ratings for DISNEY XD are good enough that the network feels they want another season of episodes (which, at least in theory, should be able to hit the screens faster than producing a brand new cartoon from the ground up, at least by a few months), Marvel will likely be encouraged to re-assemble Weisman and company and get more episodes in gear. Sony will continue to sell DVD's of their episodes; the first disc of Season 2 episodes goes on sale 11/13. DISNEY XD will air the season finale in an hour long block on 11/18. This is sweeps month and at this point DISNEY XD will know the maximum ratings potential of the show. Considering that SPIDER-MAN 4 is due out in 2011, getting some TV presence for the web-slinger around that time seems like a given; after all, 2007's SPIDER-MAN 3 is what got this show produced by Sony. Fans of the show have criticized the move from "free TV" to an uncommon cable channel, but in a way that lowers the ratings bar for every cartoon on DISNEY XD; it also exposes the show to a smaller audience even at best. At any rate, more as it develops. forums.toonzone.net/showpost.php
* In other Spidey multi-media news, Newsarama's ROBOT 6 has reported that a meeting of insiders has formed today to decide the fate of the SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK musical with music by Bono and The Edge, planned for Broadway. The biggest concern is that the production costs for the musical have ballooned from $24 million to $52 million with no end in sight. Technically, the first HELLBOY film was made by Sony for less than $52 million. Casting for the production has also been underway with Evan Rachael Wood as Mary Jane, newcomer Reeve Carney as Peter Parker, and Alan Cumming as Green Goblin. There is a possible casting conflict as Cumming has been cast in another musical at this time as well (he was often a star of stage before playing Nightcrawler in X-MEN 2 and Loki in SON OF THE MASK, among other films). The NY Times also reports that rehearsals are behind schedule and that the opening date of April 29th, 2010 may be missed; this would put the production out of consideration for a Tony Award. Many theater insiders are watching this as some sort of train-wreck, amazed that pre-production has lingered this long considering the massive costs and relative failure of superheroes in musicals (Superman had the most success, and even that was a flop). Read the full article with links to the Times here: robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/11/future-of-troubled-spider-man-musical-could-be-set-today/ Perhaps the moral of SPIDER-MAN 2 would be appropriate; be willing to compromise your dreams a little to fit reality, or be crushed under incredible weight.
Taking a financial hit via bad economy and lack of films?
MARVEL QUARTER 3 REPORT: PROFITS DOWN BY 60%!
In news that was not pleasant but not exactly unexpected, Marvel issued a statement about their third quarter profits, as reported by Digital Spy and others (www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a185057/marvel-comics-reports-q3-losses.html). Reports are that Marvel's net income for Q3 2009 had fallen from $50.6 million to $20.4 million, and their film division also saw a loss of $65 million. However, this was expected as 2009 saw the Marvel produced IRON MAN and INCREDIBLE HULK movies debut, which made their Q3 2009 figures rosy, while there were no large Marvel movies planned this year (X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE is made by FOX which saw most of the profit from that). The ink on the $4 billion dollar deal with Disney is also not entirely dry. In a statement, Marvel was upbeat, claiming that did well despite no films for this year, and that 2010 will bring IRON MAN 2 while 2011 will bring about films revolving around THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and possibly THE AVENGERS (although it is looking more likely that the last would be pushed to 2012). Marvel comics have continued to sell strongly, although well over 60% of Marvel's income is from licensing projects now (Diamond also noted that despite gains in sales, the monthly direct market for all comics is still down from where it sold around Sept 1999, when Marvel was technically bankrupt). Assuming the Disney deal becomes official, which is still apparently subject to anti-trust rulings, this quarter likely won't matter with an influx of billions from Disney.
* MTV News spoke with David Goyer, writer of "BATMAN BEGINS" and the future "GHOST RIDER 2" who stated that his sequel is "not a reboot" and intended to take place eight years after the first GHOST RIDER film. He compares what his script will do to the film franchise as similar to what "CASINO ROYALE" did for James Bond. Of course, that was a prequel, technically. The movie rights are still owned by Sony. Full story here - splashpage.mtv.com/2009/11/04/exclusive-david-goyer-says-ghost-rider-2-isnt-a-reboot-takes-place-eight-years-later/
* In semi-related Marvel news, yet another of their lost licenses is on the way to the big screen, atop TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE (which Marvel owned until about 1989). As ICv2 (www.icv2.com/articles/news/16208.html ) and the Wall Street Journal online.wsj.com/article/SB125737028160428961.html) report, toy giant HASBRO has re-acquired the rights to the MICRONAUTS, a sci-fi franchise that was published and owned by Marvel from the 1970's to the 1980's, with brief publishing stints at Image (2002) and Devil's Due (2004). One character, Bug, from the MICRONAUTS continues to be involved in Marvel's space comics since about 2007 (and co-stars in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY now) and the characters have been covered in recent Marvel Handbooks. HASBRO is in talks to get J. J. Abrams, hot off success on TV's "LOST" and the last "STAR TREK" film to helm a MICRONAUTS film. Of course, while TRANSFORMERS has become a hit with two films, box office take for G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA was lukewarm at best. Still, considering Hollywood's collective lack of imagination, it is possible this is more proof of anything and everything becoming a movie; with Alan Moore's one time joke of "Johnny Depp being cast as Captain Crunch" prove to be foreshadowing? For the record, HASBRO also may have the rights to the ROM THE SPACEKNIGHT franchise, also hot in the 1980's and co-created by Steve Ditko. The Micronauts were about a team of explorers and fighters who existed in a universe accessed between atoms through the process of shrinking, which was full of tyrants and danger.
* Digital Spy also reports that Marvel has hired former VAMPIRELLA editor Bon Alimagno as "talent coordinator". www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a185058/vampirella-editor-joins-marvel-comics.html
Ed Norton: up for more purple pants!
EDWARD NORTON ON HULK 2 AND POSSIBLE AVENGERS APPEARANCE!
Prior to running the NYC Marathon, Ed Norton (star of "INCREDIBLE HULK" last year) met with MTV's Splashpage and noted in a posted video that he has "not heard anything new" about HULK 2, claiming "I would probably find out after you do." He still appeared interested in reprising his role of Bruce Banner from 2008, however - splashpage.mtv.com/2009/11/02/edward-norton-says-nothing-new-to-report-with-incredible-hulk-and-marvel-movies/). Meanwhile, Ain't-It-Cool-News also interviewed Norton about the possibility of appearing the AVENGERS movie ( www.aintitcool.com/node/42949) Norton's reply: "Things like that to me are always completely dependent on what they make of it. You know what I mean? It’s like anything can be the crappy version of itself or the great version of itself and if it’s the great version of itself, then that’s one thing. If they don’t get it right, then I don’t know, then I think… A lot of it depends on what they come up with." In the past, Norton has claimed he wasn't opposed to the idea of the Hulk being an opponent to the Avengers in a film, which would bring it closer to the Mark Millar/Bryan Hitch ULTIMATES story.
DC re-examines their policy on killing off comic characters?
DC REVIEWS THEIR DEATH PENALTY!
As reported by Digital Spy, DC editor in chief Dan DiDio has issued a statement claiming that in the wake of their top selling BLACKEST NIGHT comic book event, that DC will re-examine how often they kill characters off, and whether it is warranted. He noted that "death is a staple of comic book stories" while also claiming that from now on DC might be more mindful of it. BLACKEST NIGHT is a story in which various "dead" DC characters are revived as zombie-like beings by the evil Black Lanterns, and now seek to attack their surviving friends and family. Combining the years long buzz around Green Lanterns and the zombie genre has proven to work out for DC, out selling Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN for two out of three months by a healthy margin. Some have argued that DC Comics haven't been this competitive per month for about three years. DiDio, in claiming that DC would be more "judicious" about who they kill off from now on (having heard from fans tired of "bleak comics"), he also hinted that "there may not be a DC universe after Blackest Night". This, however, would be a step backward as DC's universe has seemed to be altered in "event" stories often recently. The 1985-1986 CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS sought to re-structure DC's universe, although ZERO HOUR in 1994 sought to tweak that. Then there were more "Crisis" events in 2005-2006 ("Infinite Crisis") and 2008-2009 ("Final Crisis"). Hinting at a fourth would bring things to the point of parody. At any rate, read the entire report here- www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a185120/dc-reviews-use-of-death-in-comics.html
* Once again, Sprite Comics!
(Sprites from Capcom and Prime OP's edits. Comic made by this Examiner)
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