Something Super This Way Comes

Superheroes Abound at Movies This Year

from The Associated Press

NEW YORK - "I want suit approval." Who can blame Vincent Chase, the movie-star character on HBO's Entourage, for his Aquaman ultimatum? He understands that superhero films teeter on a precarious edge between laughable (Cat Woman) and arguably brilliant (Spider-Man).

There's no current plan for a King of the Seven Seas flick, but this year has already seen Fantastic Four, Batman Begins, Sin City, Constantine, and Elektra. And waiting in the wings are dozens of superheroes, each poised to either make movie history (X-Men) or get ridiculed into oblivion (Daredevil).

On Thursday, tens of thousands of comic enthusiasts began descending on San Diego for the annual Comic-Con convention, where movie adaptations are among the hottest topics. But with so many cartoon superstars like Batman, Superman, the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four already gone Hollywood, who's left?

"Ha ha!" laughs Marvel Studios chief Avi Arad. "You know we have 5,000 characters?"

Next up for Marvel is Ghost Rider, in summer 2006, with Nicolas Cage as a possessed motorcycle rider hellbent on justice.

"For the hardcore group, Ghost Rider is probably the most anticipated one," Arad says. "I think once the world gets to meet him, it will extend this community."

In various stages of development, Arad says, are movies for Thor (the hammer-welding Nordic hero), the Silver Surfer (who rides a flying surfboard), Captain America (the most patriotic hero, fashioned during WWII), and Namor the Sub-Mariner (one of the oldest superheroes — think a more cranky Aquaman).

Also in the pipeline is Iron Man (who's protected by a suit of armor, to be directed by Nick Cassavetes), Doctor Strange (a sorcerer of the mystic arts), Nick Fury (a James Bond-like spy), and Black Panther (the first black comic book character, although he was beaten to the big screen by Spawn).

DC Comics is similarly situated, with thousands of their own characters.

"Our properties span a really wide range of style and themes," says Paul Levitz, president of DC Comics. "We turn to them and look at what's new and what's in the stack and think how we can take advantage of it."

Queen among them is Wonder Woman, which is still several years off. Joss Whedon, the brains behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, will direct — though the super-heroine may need some updating.

"The costume works phenomenally well in the comics, but is it going to work so well in a live-action film?" wonders Johan Weiland, executive producer of http://www.comicbookresources.com. "We know Linda Carter looked sexy (in the TV version), but she also kinda looked a little ridiculous."

Coming this November is V for Vendetta, starring Natalie Portman (with shaved head) and Hugo Weaving. It's written and produced by the Wachowski brothers, who made the Matrix trilogy.

Set in the near future, Vendetta is a series created in the `80s by Alan Moore, one of the most respected writers in comics. Moore's previous forays to the big screen haven't gone well, with duds like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Constantine. He has already been very critical of the Wachowski brothers' script, calling it "imbecilic."

A delay on the release date of Vendetta also seems possible given that the hero, V, blows up London's Parliament and subway system.

Moore's Watchmen is also in early preproduction, with Paul Greengrass (Bourne Supremacy) to direct. The landmark graphic novel takes place in an opposite world where President Nixon enjoys extreme popularity as he leads the U.S. to victory in Vietnam. Superheroes are real and must register with the government.

"As sacred as Spider-Man is, Watchmen is even more sacred," says Weiland. "It's probably the one all comic fans want to see made, but it's also the one we dread the most. If they screw that one up, big trouble."

Another classic, the Flash, is also in the incubator. After penning the screenplays for Batman Begins and Ghost Rider, David S. Goyer has been tapped to direct the speedster.

Closer to fruition are The History of Violence and Aeon Flux, both out later this year.

Violence stars Viggo Mortensen, is directed by David Cronenberg and comes from the same publishers of Road to Perdition. Aeon Flux stars Charlize Theron as the futuristic secret agent. It will get a sneak peak at Comic-Con Saturday.