This is either the greatest or the worst idea anyone at the Bendis Board has ever come up with:
[H]ow about a Marvel Bullpen movie? i was thinking about the stories of stan jumping on tables, acting out the fantastic four stories he was pitching to jack, and i thought to myself, “man this would make an awesome movie scene.”
so what do you guys think about an american splendor styled drama-documentary on the birth of marvel comics? who would play stan, steve, jack, and flo? what do you think the main story should focus on?
there could be a scene where stan is talking about ideas with jack over a drawing board and it cuts to a close up of jacks hands while he draws galactus for the first time, or something, but it could really be john romita jr’s hands doing the drawing.
there could be tons of sweet cameo’s too. in the background of every bullpen scene, there could be guys like bendis, maleev, millar, and hitch all working on making comics, in 60’s clothes.
the story could highlight the unbelievable creativity of guys like stan, jack, and steve, but also show the interpersonal strife that led to steve and jack leaving. personally, i always thought that contrast was super interesting.
how about it guys, what do you think?
There’re even casting suggestions:
Stanley Tucci as Stan Lee
R. Lee Ermey as Jack Kirby
Willam H. Macy as Steve Ditko
Illeana Douglass as Flo Steinberg
I would love to see Macy as Ditko, sadly…
November 7th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Macy would just kill as Ditko, no doubt.
But as much as I love Douglas, Flo was a lot cuter. And to play the King, as much as I loved Ermey in Full Metal Jacket, I would hope they’d find someone who can actually act…
November 7th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
That is a fantastic idea but I suspect it’d have to be done as a thinly veiled allegory.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Actually, if there’s an actor that resembles the last known photo taken of Ditko (in 1959!) it’s Steve Buscemi.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I’m hard-pressed to think of who could do Stan Lee justice on screen. Sam Rockwell, maybe? I mean, you’re basically talking about Damon Runyon, powered by a Jim Carrey level of manic energy …
November 7th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Vincent D’onofrio as Kirby. Maybe.
Macy as Ditko, though? That’s brilliant. I keep hearing him in his Fargo mode. “Now, Stan! A is A!”
November 7th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
I think Jack Nicholson should play Kirby.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Oliver Platt as Kirby.
November 7th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
David Keochner as Stan Lee
Jay Baruchel as Steve Ditko
Sam McMurray as Sol Brodsky