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At the Movies: A Whedon-less Wonder Woman?!
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Pictures and Silver Pictures, which have been developing a big-screen Wonder Woman with Buffyverse creator Joss Whedon, are in the process of buying a spec script from a pair of newbies — but as a preemptive measure, to keep the rival take (set during World War II, whereas Whedon's is present-day) off the market.... Universal emerged victorious in a bidding war for a revisionist take on Robin Hood, with Russell Crowe playing the Sheriff of Nottingham as the investigator in a string of murders in which Robin is suspected.... Per Variety, Jennifer Garner will star in a remake of Christmas in Connecticut.... Unfaithful's Richard Gere and Diane Lane will reteam for Nights in Rodanthe, an adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel about a traveling doctor who has a life-changing romance.
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Feb 1, 2007 9:31 AM
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Nothing in the article insinuates that Whedon is being taken off the movie. Or that his script is not going to be used. No need to try and stir the pot on this one.
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Feb 1, 2007 12:35 PM
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...Warner Bros. Pictures and Silver Pictures...are...buying a spec script from a pair of newbies...to keep the rival take...off the market.
Boy, something about that just sounds hinky to me.
Why would Warner Bros. care if a rival script for Wonder Woman is out there? Only they can actually make a Wonder Woman movie -- they, and they alone, have the rights!
I mean, if there is a rival script for a property that you own, you don't have to buy it to keep it off the market -- that's what courts are for.
And surely the plots of the two scripts are totally different, so they aren't worried about spoilers.
There's more to this than meets the eye, I suspect (and as Matt's headline suggests). Bust out the golden lasso -- let's make somebody talk!
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Feb 1, 2007 3:47 PM
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Chappy, all it means is that a spec script is floating around. If the studio doesn't buy it and the writer can claim that one of their execs read it, they may be able to sue. There are no doubt thematic similarities between any Wonder Woman script.
I looked at Whedon's site a few minutes ago. He even posted the story there. It's really not a big deal. His script will get used. He wants to do it. The studio wants him to do it.
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Feb 1, 2007 4:49 PM
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achey basically had it right. Snatching up the spec is a precautionary move, as two scripts about WW are bound to share some elements, and this way Warner is protected against future "stealing" accusations.
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Feb 1, 2007 7:24 PM
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I agree that, because of the source material, it is a given that any two scripts for Wonder Woman would share certain elements. That, I think, would be the defense against a lawsuit.
Maybe this rival script has more significant similarities.
I'm just bothered because it seems like an acceptable form of blackmail -- "Buy our spec script now, or we'll sue you later."
I guess there have been enough of these high profile idea-stealing cases in the last few years that the studios are running scared.
I'm sorry to hear that Whedon's version isn't set during World War II. I personally think Wonder Woman just works better during that period rather than in present day. We'll see.
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Feb 1, 2007 11:05 PM
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This just in!!! Excerpted directly from Joss Whedon's own website:
SATIN TIGHTS NO LONGER. Joss will not be fighting for our rights after all.
You (hopefully) heard it here first: I'm no longer slated to make Wonder Woman....I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked...But most importantly, I never have to answer THAT question again!!!!...I never had an actress picked out, or even a consistant front-runner.
Despite that last statement, he does reveal a star he had in mind, and it's a rather surprising one (albeit familiar to fans of CBS' Monday night sitcoms).
You can read the whole message here:
http://whedonesque.com/comments/12385#more
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Feb 3, 2007 1:59 PM
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Color me wrong. And sad.
And Cobie Smulders would be perfect.
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Feb 3, 2007 5:17 PM
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Cobie Smulders would be perfect. - achyfakey
She would be. I hope the producers consider her.
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Feb 3, 2007 9:50 PM
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