What could have been… With the rights to "Daredevil" now headed back to Marvel this fall after the clock ran out on Fox, it's likely this is the most we're ever going to see of what a grittier, more adult take on the superhero might have been. Director Joe Carnahan wasn't kidding when he said his version was "Serpico styled," and last night he unveiled the sizzle reels he made for the proposed movie which owe a tremendous debt to 1970s cinema.
Mixing comic book panels, footage from a variety of '70s movies (dude seems to love "The Warriors") and clips from the 2003 Ben Affleck starring film, these two sizzle reels — the more violent NC-17 version and the more panel-heavy PG-13 — certainly establish a unique tone. It's actually a pretty exciting little edit of footage, and shows that Carnahan would've taken Daredevil in a direction it hasn't gone in before on the big screen (or superhero movies in general) with an atmosphere of social unrest that is palpable.
However, lest you think Fox was too gunshy on this, it really was the looming deadline that ultimately brought the axe down. "Guys. To clarify. DD pitch was tremendous and everyone flipped for it. The clock ticked down at Fox, that's why it went tits up," Carnahan tweeted.
We're guessing this unlike anything Marvel will eventually do with the character, since it's not the kind of stuff that moves toys and comics the way a more broadly appealing version might. That said, if they take the character to television, they might have a bit more room to play, freed from the expectations of tentpole, box office numbers and fitting into the established Marvel movie universe. Anyway, give it a look below and tell us what you think of Carahan's vision for Matt Murdock. [Comic Book Therapy]
See, this is what Daredevil should have been all along, no way Disney goes for it, though I doubt Fox would have either. I still wish Daredevil could be made into an HBO-style series.
This would have been awesome.
He should start talking to Marvel as soon as they get the rights back…..I think they'd let him film his vision……why the fuck not?
The editor is one sexy motherfucker.
Holy shit. Carnahan and his editor ROCKED it on this ripomatic. Good job fellas.
What i don't understand is why can't they just simply extend the deadline? How hard would that be? Would it really cause a lot of trouble? Just extend the deadline and let Carnahan make this picture the way he wants to.
The reason why FOX would pass on this interpretation of âDaredevilâ is that itâs completely the opposite of what a big studio wants from a comic book adaptation now.
If the movie is ultra gritty and/or set in the past, children wonât be the target demographic. First of all, they wonât be allowed to see it if itâs rated maturely.
Second of all, children are only able to emotionally invest in things set in the present or the future. (Toy sales for the WWII set âCaptain America: The First Avengerâ were disappointing).
Box office revenues are down, down, down. Too many expensive films have tanked, therefore licensing fees are the prime motivator for a studio to make a franchise film.
If you canât license a super hero movie to childrenâs product manufacturers, then forget about it.
Holy shit, I don't think I've ever been so excited from watching a movie trailer since I was a teenager. Maybe the most recent would be The Departed. Just awesome. Thanks Joe for bringing Darecevil fans dream for a brief moment to life. Now watch Marvels "golden boy" Whedon fuck it up.
Tragic. Marvel would never do anything like this – anything suggesting individuality and a pulse (and cool music!)
more important is what can be found in the related youtube links:
Daredevil '83!
http://youtu.be/6kY55Zsbn50
How could Fox pass on this?