By "dead", August offered the following explanation:
By "dead," I mean that it won't be happening. I don't think it's on the studio's radar at all. It may come back in another incarnation, with another writer, but I can say with considerable certainty that it won't be the version I developed
In the comics, Captain Marvel is a character whose powers are similar to Superman's, but with a considerably different origin. Captain Marvel is really Billy Batson, a kid (sometimes written as young as seven or eight, sometimes written as a teenager), who transforms into the World's Mightiest Mortal, Captain Marvel, when he says the name of the wizard Shazam, who gave him his powers. Captain Marvel's greatest enemy, Black Adam, is a former champion of Shazam's from ancient Egypt.
August describes in great detail how the film that was originally planned was very much an action-comedy, focusing a lot on Billy's discovering his abilities, plus his coping with transforming from a child to an adult man - as August phrases it, "Big with super powers". However the studio steadily pushed to transform it into a higher-action and darker film. August surmises that this may have had something to do with the success of The Dark Knight, and the box-office failure of Speed Racer.
It's fascinating reading, and disappointing news for comic book fans. To read August's full entry
Comments (11)
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Chad Vital
lol okay would you like a cheezy happy Captain Marvel that's probably the only realistic way they could pull it off, or a developed Captain Marvel with serious tones? Either way, he is probably the dumbest hero out anyway. Doesn't surprise me they dumped it. Shazam...I mean are you f*cking kidding me? lmao. That WORD alone is corny and dumb. It would have to be a kid movie. His character is a joke. Aren't there better DC characters in need of a movie? Why him? Did some execs look at the list of DC heroes and say, "let's pick the gayest and most unbelievable sounding hero out of these DC characters"...and then wa-la Captain Marvel the Movie lol.
3 years agoby @chad-vitalFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
DAm. Oh well, next time maybe, with a different director.
3 years agoby @narratorFlag
Raoul Duke
yeah, trying to make Captain Mavrvel a dark character is retarded. Its Captain f*cking Marvel, its supposed to be funny and goofy, just look at his outfit. The idea of Big with superpowers is a fantastic idea. I hope this gets a second chance somewhere down the line.
3 years agoby @raoulduke33Flag
GK
lol.
3 years agoby @indianajonesFlag
MOVIE MAGE
I'm sorry for posting an inaccurate opinion or an opinion that does not agree with yours. I do not think, and never stated that Superman should go "dark" since he is a much different kind of character compared to Batman. And I incorrectly employ the word "dark" was being synonymous with "serious," but that's just my writing style.
All I'm saying is that seriousness is a powerful tool in a director's arsenal and can have a deep impact on the audience, but it must also be balanced with a good plot and fascinating characters because the most recent Punisher movie is certainly dark, or trying to be dark, yet it flopped. So yes, I am not ALL for films to go dark.
When it comes to fantasy films, the disadvantage is that you are already suspending belief because some aspects are too fantastical. This is why darkness AND MANY OTHER ELEMENTS must be used TOGETHER to ensure a great film, or else, people won't give the film the attention or acclaim it deserves.
Shrek is fantastical yet a comedy because that is how it is represented on film, and this is how we are meant to interpret the movie. If we took Shrek 1 or 2 seriously, it would not garner the attention it did, because the use of fantasy would be just too unrealistic for the audience. If The Dark Knight was less serious and less dark, it would becomes like the Schumacher series, or its 60's tv series counterpart, and we would not see TDK as we see it now.
3 years agoby @moviemageFlag
T.Clark
MAGE, not all comic book movies, or movies in particular, have to be dark. A movie like Superman doesn't have to be dark, it can be more sci-fi and epic in scope. You're confusing "dark" with "serious." Superman can be taken seriously as a character, but that doesn't mean he has to "strike fear in the hearts of criminals." A character like Batman can get a way with the "dark and gritty" because he's an agent of fear and he can be explained in a realistic fashion. Superman is an agent of hope and while he can be handled with seriousness, he can't be explained realistically, he just needs a big sci-fi adventure. Iron Man, while still being somewhat realistic, had more of a sci-fi feel, and it still had great acting. The Incredible Hulk is an even better example...all-star cast and the Hulk sure as hell can't be explained in a real setting
3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
T.Clark
Ugh...I would have loved to see a Captain Marvel(DC, not Marvel) film...oh, well. It would have flopped anyways because A) like Comrade said, no one recognizes him and he would have been mistaken for a Superman knock-off(which was actually a legal debate when the character was first created) and B) it would've been more of an action comedy than a super hero film with Segal directing. I liked Get Smart, but this would have been another Hanc*ck.
3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
-comrade-
It's fair weather fans and poseurs who want all these characters to go "dark". Anytime someone starts talking about making Superman "dark", you know they're a jackass who has never read a Superman book. The character as plenty of angst already. I'd prefer it if people were pushing for characters to be done "right".
3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
-comrade-
Of course it died. As fun as Captain Marvel is as a Character, normal people don't f*cking recognize him.
3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
MOVIE MAGE
I enjoy speaking about the darkness of films because a dark tone can truly have an impact on the audience. I especially enjoy speaking about darkness in comic book movies. But in truth, some films, especially comic book adaptations, have to be dark so the film will be taken seriously. If i film isn't dark, then it just becomes plain, boring, a spoof, a comedy, or just a joke. Could you imagine a world where Heath Ledger's Joker was a light hearted guy who occasionally killed and constantly cracked jokes?
3 years agoby @moviemageFlag
ikilledbill2wice
this is annoying. both the dark knight and speed racer were awesome movies but just because TDK made so much money everyone wants to do these "dark" super hero films. its going to get old so fast. batman was supposed to be dark. captain marvel and speed racer shouldnt be. this is greedy corp sh*t all over again.
3 years agoby @ikilledbill2wiceFlag