Sam Raimi to direct new adaptation of The Shadow!?

[Silly McGooses]

Found this at boxofficemojo:



Columbia & Raimi Team on The Shadow
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
December 11, 2006


Columbia Pictures has acquired the screen rights to The Shadow, the legendary 1930s pulp hero, for an adaptation to be produced by Sam Raimi (the "Spider-Man" movies) and Josh Donen through their Buckaroo Entertainment. Michael Uslan is also producing via his Comic Book Movies, Llc/Branded Entertainment.

Columbia has set Siavash Farahani to write the screenplay, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The Shadow debuted in 1931 on a CBS radio show which aimed to boost the magazine circulation of sponsor Street & Smith. The character was actually the moniker for the announcer, and listeners began demanding stories based on the name.

Walter B. Gibson created the character, writing the adventures of a crime-fighter who skulked in shadows wearing a hat and cape, and who had the power to cloud men's minds.

The Shadow became one of the greatest pulp heroes of the time, and the radio series, which featured a young Orson Welles, spawned the catchphrase "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

The character's most recent incarnation was a big-budget 1994 feature from Universal starring Alec Baldwin and directed by Russell Mulcahy.

"I've been a passionate Shadow fan ever since I was a kid and have long dreamed of bringing this character to the screen," Raimi said. He is not attached to direct at this time.

[Cortez2301]

That sounds good.I hope it is good.

[Silly McGooses]

I am completely psyched if it happens, but only if they keep it a period piece like the last fim. I'm frankly shocked this could happen since that movie was just a little over a decade ago and a commercial disaster.

[Lord Dalek]

I'm still waiting on a decent Captain Midnight movie. :sad:

[AdamYJ]

I read somewhere that it's not really going to be a Shadow movie, but a movie that teams up various Street and Smith pulp heroes, including Doc Savage, The Avenger and The Shadow.

[Michael24]

Yeah, the news item I read was confusing, but I think it's some kind of LXG-like team-up, which leaves me disappointed. I'd rather see a solo Shadow film than see him play second banana to someone else. :(

I loved the 1994 film, though.

[Hanshotfirst113]

THAT I'd pay to see :D! I hear he's wanted to do this for a while.

[Silly McGooses]

Yeah, the news item I read was confusing, but I think it's some kind of LXG-like team-up, which leaves me disappointed. I'd rather see a solo Shadow film than see him play second banana to someone else. :(


Well, he probably won't be playing second banana if that's where Raimi is going, he just won't be the only star.

And there'll always be the '94 movie.

[Michael24]

Probably true, but I'd just rather see The Shadow be the star since I think he deserves it and not have to share the spotlight with two or three other guys. I mean, if this movie was to tank, we'll probably never see another solo Shadow movie on the big screen. :(

Maybe I'd feel different if I actually knew who these other guys were, though I've heard the name Doc Savage plenty of times.

[Discloner]

You know...the title of this thread is rather amusing when you read the very last line of the article which states:


He is not attached to direct at this time.

As of now he's producing.

[AdamYJ]

Probably true, but I'd just rather see The Shadow be the star since I think he deserves it and not have to share the spotlight with two or three other guys. I mean, if this movie was to tank, we'll probably never see another solo Shadow movie on the big screen. :(

Maybe I'd feel different if I actually knew who these other guys were, though I've heard the name Doc Savage plenty of times.

Man, had me surprised there for a minute. I was gonna ask if you really thought The Shadow really deserves a movie more than someone like Doc Savage? I haven't read any of his stuff yet, but Doc Savage is one of the big names of the pulps. He's not really as well known as Tarzan or Zorro, but he's definitely at about the same level as Conan or even The Shadow. Also, a lot of the traits that would eventually be features of comic book crimefighters are attributed to Doc first (he was "The Man of Bronze" long before Superman appeared as "The Man of Steel").

In fact, just to help you out here, I think I know where you might be able to find some Doc Savage stuff. I was in Borders and found in the graphic novel section a book with two Doc Savage "novels" in it. It looks like a full size comics graphic novel you'd expect from one of the big American comics companies. However, inside are prose pulp stories instead of comics. I haven't read it yet, but I bought it and it's on my "to read" list. Maybe you'll be able to find one at your local bookstore.

[Silly McGooses]

I've never read or seen any Doc Savage stuff. I like the name though.

[The Weed Of Cri]

This story has been getting a lot of mileage over at the OTR and pulp-fiction boards for about a week now. The Shadow and Doc Savage are ripe for a movie comeback, hopefully one that is faithful. The long-rumored Doc movie supposedly starring Arnold Schwarzeneggar sent Doc fans into spasms, and not good ones, either. The failure of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen will be an obstacle to be overcome, since the subject matter is quite similar.

The idea of building a film around several Street & Smith characters is a bad one for a feature film; maybe a better idea for a TV series. The problem is, most of the hero pulps had their own complete casts of characters that would bloat the film if they were all included, and would lessen the authenticity of the material if they aren't. Doc had five assistants and his cousin, Pat. The Shadow had a virtual army of agents (about two dozen altogether, popping up on an irregular basis). The Avenger led a team of five supporting characters. Trying to squeeze them all into one movie would be problematic. I think the best bet would be a Doc Savage/Shadow team-up, with Doc's full team and about an equal number of The Shadow's better-known agents would be a good fit for two hours.

Then there's casting. There are a couple of actors who would make a good Shadow. Adrian Brody would be best; Clive Owen would be okay. The Shadow's agent could be easily cast; they had distinctive personalities, but not unusual in appearance (they often worked undercover, so they didn't stick out in a crowd), so a group of good actors could be easily found. Doc Savage and his crew would be much harder to cast. They have distinctive (and in some cases, freaky) looks. How could you cast a character like Monk Mayfair or Renny Renwick? There aren't many actors out there whose arms are longer than their legs or who have hands the size of badminton racquets. And Doc himself is problematic. He is a colossus who is at the peak of physical perfection. A bodybuilder like Arnold would make a good physical match, but you'd have to find one who is an exceptionally good actor, since Doc has a nuanced, low-key personality that would look wooden if not done right. I would go with someone like Kevin Sorbo, who's big and well-built and a decent actor.

As for Sam Raimi, I'm not sure of the extent of his involvement in this project. His movie Darkman was clearly inspired by The Shadow, and he may have a been there/done that attitude about it.

Time will tell.


Also, a lot of the traits that would eventually be features of comic book crimefighters are attributed to Doc first (he was "The Man of Bronze" long before Superman appeared as "The Man of Steel").

Bob Kane has acknowledged that The Shadow was a major inspiration for Batman. In fact, many of the "mystery men" from the Golden Age of Comics were copies of popular pulp heroes (compare the original costume of The Crimson Avenger - see Justice League Unlimited - with The Shadow's outfit; it's largely just a color change, minus the cloak and with a mask added). And Doc Savage had an arctic Fortress of Solitude (it was even called that) years before Superman moved into the neighborhood.

BTW: Pulp historian Anthoy Tollin got permission from Street & Smith to begin reprinting The Shadow's and Doc Savage's original pulp adventures. You can learn more about them here:
http://members.cox.net/comingattractions/index.html

[AdamYJ]

They probably won't focus much on the supporting characters.

I can't help but feel the movie sounds a lot like the cartoon Defenders of the Earth without the generational aspect. The other difference, of course, being that it's Street and Smith pulp characters instead of King Features Syndicate comic strip heroes.

[Silly McGooses]

I've been looking up Doc Savage--he doesn't seem very interesting. And the fact that he always has his shirt ripped open down the middle would be even more ridiculous in a movie...

[Robin2099]

God I hope that this doesn't get stuck in development hell. I am a huge Shadow fan and always wondered what Sam Raimi's take on the character would be if he didn't make Darkman instead. While I'm not a big fan of the LOEG concept that is being mentioned, The Shadow is a great character and deserves more respect then he gets. Plus with Raimi involved, at least the movie has potential to not totally suck.

[ShadowGUN]

"Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men..... Sam Raimi knows" ;)

I wonder if they use Alec Balwin again? I thought he did a pretty good job in the first movie.

[Young Justice]

"Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men..... Sam Raimi knows" ;)

I wonder if they use Alec Balwin again? I thought he did a pretty good job in the first movie.

I've liked Alec Baldwin in the first Shadow movie. But his nose was weird when he trasformed from Lamont Crane into Shadow.

[DR.MID-NITE]

I'm still waiting on a decent Captain Midnight movie. :sad:

Well maybe a DR.Mid-Nite movie. :D

And to the poster who suggested Alec Baldwin reprise the role. While I thought he was perfect for the movie in 1994 and thought he would have made a great Batman. He has not aged well. And just wouldn't work well.

[Michael24]

Agreed. I thought Baldwin was great, but he would not look right in the part now. A few years ago, I thought Michael T. Weiss would be perfect, but as he seems to have vanished from TV since The Pretender ended, I don't know how he would be now. At this point, I'd go with a relative unknown.


I've liked Alec Baldwin in the first Shadow movie. But his nose was weird when he trasformed from Lamont Crane into Shadow.

That's because the filmmakers kept The Shadow's iconic hawk-like nose from the original pulps. They wanted Alec Baldwin to actually look like the Shadow, unlike how Warren Beatty looked like Warren Beatty in Dick Tracy. :D (Not a dig at Dick Tracy. I love that movie.)

[Silly McGooses]

Well maybe a DR.Mid-Nite movie. :D

And to the poster who suggested Alec Baldwin reprise the role. While I thought he was perfect for the movie in 1994 and thought he would have made a great Batman. He has not aged well. And just wouldn't work well.Anyone who watches 30 Rock can tell you that he has...shall we say...put on a few pounds.

[The Weed Of Cri]

I've been looking up Doc Savage--he doesn't seem very interesting. And the fact that he always has his shirt ripped open down the middle would be even more ridiculous in a movie...

Actually, the whole ripped-shirt thing was something done by artist James Bama, who painted covers to the paperback reprints of the original pulp novels published by Popular Library in the '60's and '70's. The skullcap haircut with the widow's peak that could put out someone's eye was a Bama invention, too; he was not depicted that way in the original magazine illustration, although he has rarely been dipicted otherwise in the post-Bama years.

To modern readers, Doc may come across as being a little bland, maybe too perfect. At least in the early years. Later, his creator (Lester Dent, writing as "Kenneth Robeson") gave him some interesting personality quirks. His five aides are much more interesting characters, and they'd be a lot of fun to see on the screen. Any movie that excludes them just wouldn't be Doc Savage.

[DR.MID-NITE]

You could go with Farscape's Ben Browder. Although he is around 42. Which might be too old to start a franchise with.

[Silly McGooses]

Actually, the whole ripped-shirt thing was something done by artist James Bama, who painted covers to the paperback reprints of the original pulp novels published by Popular Library in the '60's and '70's. The skullcap haircut with the widow's peak that could put out someone's eye was a Bama invention, too; he was not depicted that way in the original magazine illustration, although he has rarely been dipicted otherwise in the post-Bama years.

To modern readers, Doc may come across as being a little bland, maybe too perfect. At least in the early years. Later, his creator (Lester Dent, writing as "Kenneth Robeson") gave him some interesting personality quirks. His five aides are much more interesting characters, and they'd be a lot of fun to see on the screen. Any movie that excludes them just wouldn't be Doc Savage.
Interesting. He doesn't really sound like he's from the same universe as The Spirit.