Joss Whedon Talks About Why WB Is Having A Hard Time With Its DC Properties
By George 'El Guapo' Roush on February 25, 2009
I'm not sure if Joss has a point here or if he's just being a whiny little bitch, but he gives his thoughts on why DC superheroes have a hard time connecting with audiences compared to Marvel superheroes.

The Coventry Telegraph has more:

"Because, with that one big exception (Batman), DC's heroes are from a different era. They're from the era when they were creating gods.

"And the thing that made [rival publisher] Marvel Comics extraordinary was that they created people. Their characters didn't living in mythical cities, they lived in New York. They absolutely were a part of the world. Peter Parker's character (Spider-Man) was a tortured adolescent.


"DC's characters, like Wonder Woman and Superman and Green Lantern, were all very much removed from humanity. Batman was the only character they had who was so rooted in pain, that had that same gift that the Marvel characters had, which was that gift of humanity that we can relate to."

On his Wonder Woman movie project, with Eliza Dushku reportedly attached as the lead, he told Maxim: "I have no idea the status of the movie and, honestly, I never did. I was told they were very anxious to make it. I wrote a script. I rewrote the story. And by the time I'd written the second script, they asked me...not to.


"They didn't tell me to leave, but they showed me the door and how pretty it was. Would I like to touch the knob and maybe make it swing? I was dealing with them through [producer] Joel Silver who couldn't tell me what they wanted or anything else. I was completely in the dark. So I didn't know what it was that I wasn't giving them. I've moved on."


Click HERE to read the rest.

 

So according to Joss, we can't connect with DC heroes because they're too God like and live in mythical cities, yet he wants us to have no problem believing in a teenage blond who slays vampires in her spare time. Gotcha.

 

To me it just sounds like sour grapes over the Wonder Woman project. I don't think people have a hard time connecting to DC superheroes any more than they would Marvel super heroes. Why? BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPERHEROES. THEY DO NOT EXIST.

And despite my wondrous revelation that they do not exist, I still think heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern are kind of cool because I don't have to watch them whine and complain about paying the rent during the movie. I'm here for escapism, not to be reminded that the guy who clings to walls can't pay the electric bill just like everyone else on the planet.

I don't agree with Joss' opinion on why DC heroes are struggling to get to the big screen. I don't think it has anything to do with connecting to audiences because I somehow managed to connect just fine with Lois Lane and Clark Kent back in the day when Reeve was flying around on the big screen. I think this has to do with Warner Brothers not knowing what the fuck they're doing with these superheroes. But I do like that they seem to be on the right track and are moving forward, starting with Green Lantern.

I mean, if a movie sucks, no audience will connect with it regardless of the hero. Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Spider-Man 3, all are Marvel heroes rooted in humanity, yet all were enormous piece of shit movies.

So don't blame it on the heroes themselves, Joss. Blame it on the people behind them.

Be a hero and


Source: Coventry Telegraph
Tags: News
Comments
El Guapo
Commented By: Fontez on 2009-02-25 17:45:04
I could NOT agree more... It's the responsibility of the Director, writer and producers to create an entertaining story that people can relate with. If they can't do that... Then they aren't doing their job. Aswell... I don't give a shit about relating to superhero's. I watch those movies because I DON'T relate to them and because I want to escape the world that I'm in... Isn't that the point of a good film?? To take you OUT of your world and make you feel as if you're IN another.

Commented By: E.Kubinek on 2009-02-25 18:04:04
I have to agree with Joss - he put perfectly what i have been debating with friends with (especially Wonder Woman!) for a while. I love escapism - But if the source material has NO WAY of hooking the audience on SOME identifiable level (even common emotions) - then the well is poisoned - And NO ONE can make it work. Joss hit the nail on the head.
Don\'t insult Buffy
Commented By: whatevs on 2009-02-25 18:29:13
Joss embodied the idea of taking characters that are potentially super and giving them human emotions and make them go through the common stages of life with Buffy. What he is talking about is exactly what he did with Buffy. It is exactly why people are drawn to Buffy and why so many TV critics have declared it the best show of all time. So before you ignorantly say Joss is ridiculous for saying that when "he wants us to have no problem believing in a teenage blond who slays vampires in her spare time," how about getting past the most basic description of the show and actually find out what you are talking about.
Josh is a whiner
Commented By: etsjedi on 2009-02-25 18:45:05
He had his WW script dumped because it blew chunks-he was having WW do everything that has NEVER happened to the character. His new show DOLLHOUSE is dropping like a rock and Sigourney Weaver just dissed his 2nd Alien script idea. He has not had success since Angel and Buffy ended and he can't even do a comic book version without complaining about hard it was to do that. Marfel has had control over Iron Man and the upcoming projects. They had no real control over X-MEN-FF-DAREDEVIL-SPIDERMAN-PUNISHER-the first HULK-GHOSTRIDER The new guy in charge of the DC projects has said that he will have the DC people work closely with the production teams to keep the characters in line. WB is just not going to sit back and let Marvel have all the BO fun. They are set to go with Green Lantern-Superman with Routh a sequel-JLA-Plastic Man-The Flash and Green Arrow to name a few. Plus-Smallville has been renewed for another year-though I don't know if that is a good thing unless they are making Welling start wearing some kind of cotume next year!
Now Who\'s The Whiney Bitch?
Commented By: MaxPayneInTheArse on 2009-02-25 20:18:37
I don't know who sounds more like the whiney bitch, Whedon, El Gaupo, or... me.... But Stan Lee (no bias there) said that was the reason why Marvel owned DC for so long. He said this in Dinner For Five. I have to agree, even though none this comic book geek crap are believable, at most of you dorks can relate to the marvel characters. Come the f@ck on! A woman fighting the baddies with a lasso and an invisible jet, but she's not!!! wft DC some lazy bastards.
DC Characters can\'t connect because they\'re perfect!
Commented By: Ganymede2010 on 2009-02-25 22:24:48
DC comic book characters are all godly. Marvel characters are impefect just like normal people. I totally agree with Josh. That's why I prefer Marvel over DC in the first place.

Commented By: Bob on 2009-02-25 22:32:59
I totally agree with Joss, and Guapo you sound pretty butthurt
Pshaw well Bruce Timm accomplished it
Commented By: Dave on 2009-02-25 22:48:53
Has Joss Whedon not seen the "Justice League" series? Bruce Timm managed to take all sorts of godly superheroes, (some bordering on ridiculous), and made hem all feel very much flawed and very much living in the real world.
Oh, ok Bob
Commented By: El Guapo on 2009-02-26 00:26:29
Because my opinion differs from someone else's, that means I'm totally butthurt? LOL
Say wha?
Commented By: a fellow frijol on 2009-02-26 02:41:13
I've heard this claim too many times before. And honestly, it's true: DC character's resemble Greek demigods set amongst a human backdrop, while Marvel characters are humans given supernatural powers. The line between them has blurred heavily over the years, but it exists on the most essential level. My question is, so what? Since when has mythological meant irrelevant. Any student of literature--as we all basically are--can tell you that the human condition is perceivable within most if not every drama, be it the story of Jesus, the LOTR, Superman, Spiderman, etc. It's up to the filmmakers to explore and develop that connection.
Whatev
Commented By: Batzarro on 2009-02-26 06:48:22
WB can't make the audience connect with Wonder WOman because IT DOESN"T FUCKING TRY! Now, honestly, over the top characters like Johnny Depp's character in the Pirates series, Straight up Heroics like Aragorn in Lord of the Rings and such have been made to work. I didn't see anyone saying Gandalf was irrealistically good, or Too Powerfull? And just why did people like Robocop, a stockywalking, invulnerable Robot with an impecable aim? Now Batman's not rooted in realism: What tortured billionare hasn't done blow from a prostitute's belly?
The characters have existed and endured, so frakkin do something with them.
Commented By: Diocide on 2009-02-27 03:03:26
Regardless of the characters abilities, where they came from or how they got there- there is the same element -- a frakkin character. Just make it work, write a good story. Their origin has little to do with their potential. The whole argument is stupid and irrelevant.
Superman Begins
Commented By: C on 2009-02-28 23:50:21
I was thinking about Superman today -- how could the audience connect with his character. Well, what if Clark didn't have all his full powers in the first movie -- perhaps he only flies at the end during the final show down. Perhaps in "Superman Begins" -- Clark struggles to find his identity, he's bitter, he can't find work, he knows he's different, his father has died etc. etc. Perhaps Clark at the beginning is completely different than what we have seen ... ala Bruce in Batman Begins. I dont know, Id like to see him go through the motions of developing his powers and abilities slowly -- didn't Superman initially just jump buildings and not fly? I'd like to see the military brought into this somehow as well.
But you all forget...
Commented By: E. Kubinek on 2009-03-01 14:44:34
Wonder Woman isn't that interesting a character. And I even say that as a chick - she really isn't that interesting. Iconic - yes. - But she is an icon more out of establishment than merit. They want to make a movie out of her - cause from a marketing POV it makes sense to - she's an icon, a familiar, and bankable property. BUT Maybe no one can get this thing rolling, cause if just plan sucks?
ììì.. íå äóìàë ...
Commented By: INHATTPAG on 2009-04-03 19:25:13
õåõ. àêòóàëüíàÿ òåìà :) ..
hmm.. funny :)
Commented By: INHATTPAG on 2009-04-07 17:42:57
hmm... attractive )
hmm. attractive.
Commented By: juhirrich on 2009-04-15 18:12:42
mm.. thank you
hm.. nice )
Commented By: Arronsund on 2009-04-22 07:10:41
hm... thanks :)