Joel Schumacher Eyeing Neil Gaiman's Sandman

[Octoberist]

with levy.....maybe.........i doubt it.

 

[ultimatefan]

Actually, I´m wondering if that´s not Schumacher´s attempt to redeem himself with comic book fans... One way or another, to me the best way to adapt Sandman is the same as Preacher, an HBO series (MSJ, are you reading this?)

 

[Mike_D202]

This will not end well..mark my words.

 

[blind_fury]

I dare WB to do it. I dare them.

 

[Killgore]

Schumacher is NOT a good director. Name one supposed good movie he's made that shows he can address the source material.

The Lost Boys - I originally saw this when I was 13 and I loved it. I rewatched it recently and it is horrible. It is a poorly written, silly farce. It's goth lite with Cory Feldman. It doesn't stand up to the test of time.

A Time to Kill - Generic thriller.

Falling Down - If you have to pick his best movie, this is it. But even it is merely OK, No where near great.

8MM - Pure unadulterated sh't.

Phone Booth - the entire movie it was like Schumacher was trying to be De Palma who was trying to be Hitchcock. It's just another preposterous, mediocre popcorn flick.

As far as I'm concerned, he hasn't demonstrated that he is incapable of creating the remarkable film Sandman deserves to be. We need someone with a vision like Del Toro.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Heheh when i read this over at AICN i thought it might be our Killgore that had sent it to themt:

Sounds like he's merely made a passing statement in an interview,nothing from WB or anyone that matters on the subject so i wouldn't worry to much folks even though i agree with Chris

 

[Katsuro]

JS has a poor comic book track record and sandman though graphic and mature is a comic book. no thanks.

That's ridiculous. So you're saying there's something about the nature of comic books specifically that makes Joel make bad movies? He can make a great movie based on an original script or an adaptation of something else, but if it's a comic it's automatically crap? That's dumb.

Hell, how can he have a bad "track record" when he's only ever adapted one character! Yes, his Batman blew chucks, but that doesn't mean Sandman will. Once again, there is zero precedent for Sandman to wear ice skates and grab onto rocket ships as they blast off. Hell, i saw Phone Booth and Colin Ferral's business suit didn't seem to have any nipples on it to me.

You know what, I actually want this to happen now. Partly because I think he could make the movie really well, and partly to spite all these whiny overreacting fanboys. Shumacher's Batman movies may have been ridiculous, but they were far more entertaining than Burton's films.

 

[CConn]

...you had me up until the end there, Champ.

 

[Crooklyn]

Agreed.

 

[Brainiac 2009]

 

[CConn]

Superman swings both ways now, eh?

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

I still like my avvy better.

 

[Agentsands77]

SANDMAN is the kind of movie that shouldn't be done by a Schumacher (who, at best, is in the league of someone like Brett Ratner). SANDMAN should only be attempted by someone who's genuinely a master of the craft of filmmaking.

 

[Hunter Rider]

SANDMAN is the kind of movie that shouldn't be done by a Schumacher (who, at best, is in the league of someone like Brett Ratner). SANDMAN should only be attempted by someone who's genuinely a master of the craft of filmmaking.

Putting aside my disagreement with your take on Schumacher,who would you suggest to direct this movie ?

 

[BrianWilly]

Dave McKean, who worked with Gaiman on Mirrormask and Neverwhere.

Guillermo Del Toro could definitely do it.

 

[Agentsands77]

Putting aside my disagreement with your take on Schumacher,who would you suggest to direct this movie ?

Darren Aronofsky or Guillermo Del Toro seem tailor-made to do a SANDMAN film. For a project like SANDMAN or WATCHMEN or whatever-have-you, they should be looking at top-of-the-line directors.

Say what you will about Schumacher, but he's no auteur. At best, he just knows how to point a camera. He's not a visionary, and that's what a SANDMAN needs.

 

[Killgore]

Putting aside my disagreement with your take on Schumacher,who would you suggest to direct this movie ?

I mentioned Guillermo Del Toro earlier, but he is an obvious choice. I'd also say Terry Gilliam, Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Tim Burton (ooohhh imagine Johnny Depp as Sandman)Park Chan-Wook and Ridley Scott.

 

[Manic]

SANDMAN is the kind of movie that shouldn't be done by a Schumacher (who, at best, is in the league of someone like Brett Ratner). SANDMAN should only be attempted by someone who's genuinely a master of the craft of filmmaking.

I disagree.

I'd trust Ratner with a Cloak & Dagger movie before Schumacher.

 

[Warhammer]

Schumacher is a good director.
Forget about his Batman (god-awful p.o.s.) movies and have faith.

 

[Manic]

The only Schumacher movie I really liked was Falling Down. I was merely entertained by Batman Forever and Incredible Shrinking Woman (but how can you hate Lily Tomlin?)

 

[The Guard]

I can see it working. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA was a fantastic "adaption". So have been most of his other adaptions. Adapting is something Schumacher does well. Something else he does well is work with the creators of the projects he's working on. If a Schumacher-made SANDMAN happens, I'll bet Neil Gaiman would be involved. I like that idea, because as I recall, they tried to shut him out of the last few SANDMAN film attempts.

 

[jaguarr]

The Sandman's going to wind up having nipples.

jag

 

[BrianWilly]

Well, he actually does have nipples.

Not usually on his clothing, though.

 

[jaguarr]

Well, he actually does have nipples.

I'm not gonna ask you for your point of reference on that.

jag

 

[Agentsands77]

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA was a fantastic "adaption".

No, it was a poor adaptation, and most of the musical's fanbase either hated or was disappointed with his film.

First, Schumacher sought out two non-experienced singers for the two leads and ultimately hurt the music in the process. You don't cast non-singers in some of the most demanding voice parts in musical theatre. And if you really think Emmy Rossum was great vocally, you need to hear the other people who have performed that part.

Second, Schumacher made the story "young and sexy" (his words, not mine), and had ludicrous things such as the Phantom's chest exposed like he was Fabio on a romance novel cover. The Phantom is not supposed to be young and physically sexy. He's supposed to be world weary, tired of living a life full of mistreatment. He entirely misses the heart and poignancy of the story.

Third, Schumacher didn't know what to take from the stage show and what not. For example, the candles rising out of the water. It's cool on stage because it's not literally happening. In the movie, it just looks silly (in fact, the whole title song looks like an overproduced 80s music video).

Foruth, visually, Schumacher's PHANTOM film is horrifically overdone, with fake-looking sets galore. The original stage show was grand, but it was grand in decent doses and maintained an aura of darkness. Schumacher's Phantom film is just plain garish.