The Phantom on Sci Fi Channel?

[TheCorpulent1]

Daniel and Charles Knauf are working on a backdoor pilot movie for a possible Phantom series on Sci Fi.

I'm excited about this. I like the basic story of the Phantom and the Knaufs are great writers. Daniel Knauf's work on Carnivale has given me a lot of faith in his ability to create great television, and his work with Charles on several comic books has been nothing short of exceptional.

It's weird to be this excited for something that's going to air on the Sci Fi Channel...

 

[KenK]

I'd love to see it. I'm still waiting for a full series DVD collection of Phantom 2040!!

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

"He's a little bit more hardcore than other superheroes in that he packs guns and has martial arts training to kill, military style."

"You know what sold me? Charlie said he carries twin 1911's [Colt pistols]. I said, he carries guns? He said, yeah. I said, oh, well, we're doing it. He kills people,"

Uhm...no, The Phantom never kills:

 

[Golgo-13]

If this is anything like the Billy Zane 'Phantom' film i'll pass.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Uhm...no, The Phantom never kills:

Really? I thought the Phantom killed people routinely. Like I said, I only know the basic story of the character, but I figured since he's from the pulp era, before the Comics Code forced heroes to be watered down, killing would be a matter of course for him.

 

[DBM]

Rest assured, the Phantom does kill. He killed in his comic strip, he kills in the novels, and he kills in the new comics. It's not like he's the Punisher or something, but he has definitely killed before.

I'm tentatively interested in this. I'm a big Phantom fan (I even subscribe to the King Features Syndicate online comics so I can read the archives of the originals), but I can't help but think of what SciFi did to Flash Gordon which should have been cool, but they made suck.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Flash Gordon didn't have the Knaufs, so that's something. Sci Fi doesn't have the greatest record of quality, but they're still the network that gave us Farscape and BSG, so we know they're capable of quality if they back off and let the creative-types do their thing. Hopefully the Knaufs' take on the Phantom will err more toward those shows than Flash Gordon or pretty much any Sci Fi original movie ever even conceived.

 

[DBM]

Flash Gordon didn't have the Knaufs, so that's something. Sci Fi doesn't have the greatest record of quality, but they're still the network that gave us Farscape and BSG, so we know they're capable of quality if they back off and let the creative-types do their thing. Hopefully the Knaufs' take on the Phantom will err more toward those shows than Flash Gordon or pretty much any Sci Fi original movie ever even conceived.

I agree the Knauf's could pull this off. And I hope they do.

 

[BlackLantern]

I always liked the concept of the Phantom.....my granddad had a lot of the old comics

 

[IronLion]

all we need now is mandrake and we will have the defenders of the earth.

seriously though, this could be good. will def watch.

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

Well, I have read The Phantom since I was four year old, and I have never seen him kill people before (not the 21 Phantom that is). He doesn't shoot to kill, only to wound/shoot the guns out of people's hands. He's more like The Lone Ranger than The Spider or The Shadow. Not even the darker versions (DC and Marvel) of The Phantom shot anyone as far as I can remember.

From the introduction of Moonstone's "The Phantom Chronicles":


"The Phantom never killed, he shot the guns out of the bad guys hands"

- Valerie Falk (the daughter of The Phantom's creator, Lee Falk)

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

btw: http://moonstoneforums.com/showthread.php?tid=565

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

AND:

Citizen_Steel wrote:

I hate to sound negative...

... but it sounds like the Knauf's have absolutely NO IDEA about the Phantom. They sound like they've mixed him up with the Shadow.

Like others have said - he absolutely doesn't kill, ever. He doesn't need to because he is an expert marksman. He cherishes life - even that of criminals.

He isn't about revenge. The character is all about DUTY, and ALTRUISM. He is a legacy character, who views his mission (defending the innocent) as a solemn duty. He doesn't go out to punish criminals, they get punished as an indirect result of him protecting the innocent.

Finally, why do the old cliche'd, "I'm an orphan who suddenly discovers I'm heir to a superhero legacy, and after I learn that revenge is not the answer through I series of adventures, I will come to realise the true lesson about what consitutes a hero," storyline? It's been done to death!!!!!

The Phantom story doesn't need to be revamped at all. In fact, a series about multiple Phantoms across multiple eras (similar to Highlander) would certainly distinguish the character from every other costumed hero. Imagine seeing our hero in the current era, the 30's, during the 19th century, the 18th Century? This is what makes the comics so much fun!!

Damn - one of my only negative posts, and about one of my favourite characters. Oh well...

Cheers

http://www.newsarama.com/tv/080729-PhantomSciFi.html#comments

 

[C. Lee]

Well, I have read The Phantom since I was four year old, and I have never seen him kill people before (not the 21 Phantom that is). He doesn't shoot to kill, only to wound/shoot the guns out of people's hands. He's more like The Lone Ranger than The Spider or The Shadow. Not even the darker versions (DC and Marvel) of The Phantom shot anyone as far as I can remember.

From the introduction of Moonstone's "The Phantom Chronicles":


"The Phantom never killed, he shot the guns out of the bad guys hands"

- Valerie Falk (the daughter of The Phantom's creator, Lee Falk)

Aparently the people who plan this haven't read read anything Phantom....except maybe Phantom of the Opera. I'm always wary when I hear the Sci-Fi channel is involved anymore....and from the story at that one link you provided.....I've moved from wary to worried.

 

[DBM]

It's complete BS that he hasn't killed before. I'll admit I've never seen him shoot anyone before which is what most people seem to be talking about.

The killing I'm talking about is more of the kind that Batman always does but everyone pretends doesn't happen. Killing through inaction. He let's people die in fires, crash planes, drown, or let the army, police or natives kill under his direction all the time because they are fighting the bad guys. While he may not be actually pulling a trigger at their heads, it's silly to think that he's not killing people. But I guess some people are willing to make the argument that he's never killed because he just lets it happen around him rather than actively taking part.

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

Aparently the people who plan this haven't read read anything Phantom....except maybe Phantom of the Opera. I'm always wary when I hear the Sci-Fi channel is involved anymore....and from the story at that one link you provided.....I've moved from wary to worried.

I'm worried too...*sigh*...well, at least I can watch The Phantom movie (and the serial)...while it's not perfect, it's still The Phantom I know and love.

It's complete BS that he hasn't killed before. I'll admit I've never seen him shoot anyone before which is what most people seem to be talking about.

The killing I'm talking about is more of the kind that Batman always does but everyone pretends doesn't happen. Killing through inaction. He let's people die in fires, crash planes, drown, or let the army, police or natives kill under his direction all the time because they are fighting the bad guys. While he may not be actually pulling a trigger at their heads, it's silly to think that he's not killing people. But I guess some people are willing to make the argument that he's never killed because he just lets it happen around him rather than actively taking part.

Like Citizen Steel from the newsarama forum said:

He doesn't go out to punish criminals, they get punished as an indirect result of him protecting the innocent.

 

[C. Lee]

I'm worried too...*sigh*...well, at least I can watch The Phantom movie (and the serial)...while it's not perfect, it's still The Phantom I know and love.

I'm a fan of both too. Zane's movie is underrated and gets a bad rap....the Tom Tyler serial is fun, but suffers from the budgetary limitations most serials had to endure.

 

[ord0g]

I'd be willing to give a series a go if it makes it to air.

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

I'm a fan of both too. Zane's movie is underrated and gets a bad rap....the Tom Tyler serial is fun, but suffers from the budgetary limitations most serials had to endure.

I agree. Billy Zane did a great job portraying The Phantom. He pumped iron for a year and a half, and imitated The Phantom's body language from the comic strip.

Imdb: A Batman-like costume with fake muscles was reportedly made, but by the time filming started, Zane was so beefed up that he did not need it.

By the way; have you heard of "The Adventures of Captain Africa"? It was originally filmed as a sequel to The Phantom serial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Captain_Africa

Haven't seen it, though.

 

[C. Lee]

By the way; have you heard of "The Adventures of Captain Africa"? It was originally filmed as a sequel to The Phantom serial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Captain_Africa

Haven't seen it, though.

Yes, I've heard of it....but haven't had the chance to see it yet.

 

[rogue trooper]

I'm a huge Phantom fan and I would very much like to see a new film or a tv series. I do hope, however, that these people know what they're doing, epecially after the horrid Flash Gordon series. The premise does sound a bit similar to Phantom 2040, and while I did enjoy that show, I do hope these writers display a little more originality. I mean, Batman Begins thaught us that you don't need to make a Batman Beyond film or take anything from it in order to update the character.

I remember when Tarzan:The Epic Adventures debuted, I thought that would be the way to do a Phantom series.