“Green Arrow is, you know, probably on the same level as Iron Man,” Goyer tells Sci Fi Wire. “And, yeah, I mean when a movie like Iron Man does $300 million, and DC, Warner Bros., realizes, ‘Wow, we’ve got 20 of these kinds of characters.’”

Uh, not really, Iron Man is closer to a Flash really than a Green Arrow…Green Arrow is almost completely f***ing obscure to the general audience…plus the hook is he “shoots arrows like Robin Hood” whereas Iron Man has a cool suit that does cool suit things. Dunno, just found that exchange funny.

I have to agree with you, Hubert. This seems really weird. It could work for a straight-to-dvd animated project, but it seems to me that a successful film about Green Arrow could only be called GREEN ARROW.

And again in my opinion, Green Lantern is probably DC’s Iron Man. I’d love to see a Green Arrow movie too, and then eventually, Green Lantern/Green Arrow.

This terrifies me, but at least Jack Black’s GL project is dead.

I agree, the thought that Green Arrow is on par with Iron Man is laughable.

You guys saying Green Arrow isn’t on par with Iron Man really have to look at the public perception landscape. He’s had a popular restart with major writer Kevin Smith, he’s a popular regular on Smallville, was on several high profile episodes of JLU, appeared in The Batman and will be a regular on the Brave and the Bold. As it stands, Green Arrow is more popular than the Flash and Green Lantern and has had more exposure than Iron Man (exception the movie) in the last ten years.

As for Supermax? I agree they need to change the title. Maybe something a little hardcore. The nice thing is that Green Arrow could probably rig a bow and arrow in prison too.

What i’m psyched for is all the cameos they could have for him. Black Canary, Deathstroke, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, etc. Heck they could even do a shot of fellow richboy Bruce Wayne getting bombarded by the press as to what he thinks of Ollie Queen’s hobby. There’s even a springboard for at least three other movies in this too (Black Canary, Green Arrow sequel, Task Force X). It’s actually the best thing for WB can do to build their movie DCU.

Seriously, how can one guy hit the mark so well (Dark Knight) and miss it on another (Super Max)? Seriously, just remove the Ollie Queen persona and it becomes the next Con Air… any generic character could fit the bill. Goyer PM me so I can send you 50 cents to buy yourself a clue.

i always thought that GA was the perfect character for a superhero movie for DC and WB. i hope is really well done and executed.
And i hate the arrow family.

I agree with whoever said that flash needs his movie. it would be ten times better than Iron Man.

Doc_doom79 Says:

July 30th, 2008 at 10:19 am
“This is a good concept, quit bitching.

Although, I think it should be called Green Arrow, but keep the same plot.”

It’s a good concept, but not for an established character who isn’t well known to the general public. besides, the plot sounds like (ugh) Half Past Dead.

“Super Max will include a variety of DC villains”

Yeah. Just like the “Wanted” movie featured all the villains from the comic. Oooops!

I agree with everyone who says this is a terrible idea for a movie with a terrible title!

I’ll second NeoSamurai’s comments. Green Arrow’s profile has been growing and growing over the course of the past few years, and - in truth - he’s probably HIGHER in the public consciousness than Iron Man. I mean, my wife’s not a comic fan, and she didn’t know the first thing about Iron Man…but she recognizes Green Arrow on sight, thanks to appearing in “Justice League” and “Smallville.”

I gotta agree about the title, though. Even an unabashedly sensational title like “Hero Behind Bars” would be more telling to Joe MovieGoer than “SuperMax.”

Other potential titles:

Green Arrow: Chained Heat
Green Arrow: C*ckmeat Sandwich
Green Arrow: Jailhouse Bitch

Digressing a bit, another launchpad from this movie is a Teen Titans flick if they showcase Speedy/Roy in the right light.

Did WB/DC not learn anything from “Batman Begins” or “Superman Returns”? If you want a variety of people to see a good movie that happens to involve a comic book character, start with the character’s early days (”Batman Begins”), not with a storyline that is just going to confuse and annoy people with old cliches and rehashed scenes (”Superman Returns”).

martialartist Says:

July 30th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Did WB/DC not learn anything from “Batman Begins” or “Superman Returns”? If you want a variety of people to see a good movie that happens to involve a comic book character, start with the character’s early days (”Batman Begins”), not with a storyline that is just going to confuse and annoy people with old cliches and rehashed scenes (”Superman Returns”).

****

Didn’t help Marvel’s Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Captain America (90s) Punisher or Elektra too well. Catwoman (for DC) also bombed with that formula.

Personally, I think a good story will be a good story and audiences will flock to it based on execution.

Best Green Arrow = Matthew McConaughey

Before the movie, Iron Man wasn’t the Spider-Man or Captain America of Marvel, he was a second tier character who happened to be in a VERY good movie that made him a star character.

Green Arrow is on the same tier and there is no reason he cant have the same success if the movie is good.

NeoSamurai said: “oh…and Green Arrow’s origin actually sucks and is very, very lackluster in comparison to other heroes. Green Arrow’s strength is his personality and politics influencing his interactions, not his archery or fighting.”

So… Did you read the recent GA: Year One miniseries? It wasn’t as good as Batman: Year One, but it was still a good read that gave good background/origin for Green Arrow. It’s really pretty different from most “origin” stories out there. Kinda “Robin Hood meets Castaway”? It could easily be expanded into an excellent film that (god forbid) establishes the character to audiences not familiar with him, gives us a reason to care about him, sets things up for a sequel.

The “Super Max” (I thought they’d decided to change that title?) idea might work as a second or third film, once the character’s been established. Part of what made Batman Begins so great was that, for the first time, a Bat-movie delved into Bruce’s past, explained where he gets “those wonderful toys,” etc. If I’m going to see a Green Arrow movie, I want to him to actually become GREEN ARROW… Not just some guy thrown into jail with a bunch of freaks. What’s he going to do… Fashion a bow and arrow out of supplies he found in the prison’s kitchen? OK, MacGyver.

It should also be noted that audiences, generally, aren’t paying to see “personality and politics.” I agree that it’s an aspect of Ollie Queen, but it’s the action and fighting most people want, most likely. Don’t you think this prison film is going to be mostly action and fighting, anyhow? I’m not sure what your point was there.

Ultimately, “Super Max” is making a “Green Arrow” movie that really doesn’t have “Green Arrow” in it, and that’s going to be most people’s introduction to the character. I’m not saying it can’t be good. I just think it’s a risky proposition, and not a great place to start. Goyer, having helped write Batman Begins, should understand that.

Lost in all this is the story about WB making a Marvin the Martian movie that blends live action with CGI??? I love that little guy, but why do I think this is a really, really bad idea?

“Where’s the KABOOM? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering KABOOM!”

I am very excited for this movie, it sounds like a very good Idea, and it will esentialy be the start of the “new” DC movies. Spacey is going to cameo as luthor, Heath Ledger was origanly going to be in it as the Joker (Obviously that has changed), the riddeler will be in it, so will Bane, Tattoo man, possibly Harle Quinn, and many more villians, plus it is a david goyer movie, anything that man makes is amazing, people here are just turned of by the fact it is not a “superhero movie”, but a superhero in jail movie, it is different but people are being way to quick to judge.

wow…terrible idea. Green Arrow in prision? Is he still going to be wearing a mask, because if not…then the movie will be of Oliver Queen in prision and his attempt to escape. Why not just make a Green Arrow origin movie, about his wealthy lifestyle, then being shipwrecked and having to learn the ways of survival via bow and arrow, which enables him to defeat the pirates who put him on the island in the first place. Oh man…DC/Warner’s are going to screw this up BIG time. Supermax? WTF? Why?

Yes, I’ve read and collected GA:YO. It’s still a rich guy trapped on an island dealing with drug dealers as was his original beginning with added conspiracy stuff. While good, nothing made it stand out as a distinguishing story unless you were a fan of Ollie. I stand by my statement that his origin (even the retconned one) is lackluster in comparison to the Marvel ones or even Batman Begins.

Ironically, Shaun, you espouse GA:YO as the story that should be started with over Supermax, yet GA as he’s recognized in the comics doesn’t exist in that book. He’s just a blond rich guy with an archery fetish trapped on an island used to smuggle drugs. At least with Supermax Ollie would have to appear in costume for the first part of the movie.

I am very excited for this movie, it sounds like a very good Idea, and it will esentialy be the start of the “new” DC movies. Spacey is going to cameo as luthor, Heath Ledger was origanly going to be in it as the Joker (Obviously that has changed), the riddeler will be in it, so will Bane, Tattoo man, possibly Harle Quinn, and many more villians, plus it is a david goyer movie, anything that man makes is amazing, people here are just turned of by the fact it is not a “superhero movie”, but a superhero in jail movie, it is different but people are being way to quick to judge.
******

I’d rather they keep Luthor and move away a bit from the well-known Bat rogues. Let’s see some Suicide Squad.

SonOfBaldwin Says:
The idea that Green Arrow is DC’s Iron Man is so ludicrous and delusional that it’s laughable. If 80,000 people on earth have ever heard of Green Arrow that’s a lot. If a quarter of them give a rat’s @$$ about him, I’d be surprised.
***

5.25 Million viewers flocked to see the Justice League episode of Smallville which Green Arrow was leading. Nevermind his recurring role on the show, becoming a cast regular this season and the addition of Black Canary because of the charactr.

And that’s not including people drawn in because of Kevin Smith’s run, Identity Crisis, or the JLU episodes. That’s definitely more than the people who knew of Iron Man prior to Civil War and the movie.

Wow, it’s like someone said “these superhero thingees are making a fair penny. Quick, get me a Hancock and an Iron Man–no, no, better still: PUT THEM TOGETHER!!! Yeh that’s the ticket!”

SonOfBaldwin Says:

July 31st, 2008 at 1:09 pm
So that’s, what Neo? A total of 6 million people? Let’s assume 75% of those people actually go to see the movie. It’s still a bomb.

And it’s still a horrible idea.
****

small numbers didn’t hurt Iron Man any considering how small his fanbase was before the movie came out. a good story, is a good story and a GA in prison will sell to non-comic book fans better than a movie about a superhero with a bow and arrow.

we don’t need another DCU character without powers, we have awesome batman flicks. Lets see that wonder woman, the flash, green lantern…hell, I’ll take the Wonder Twins.

If you want to do a Green Arrow movie, make a film of Mike Grell’s “The Longbow Hunters” or another of Grell’s GA stories. Outside of Grell, GA is crap.

If DC can’t hit a home run with Wonder Woman or Superman, they should call it a day. All of their other characters are crap.

Um, could Eric Dane be cast as Green Arrow?

My two problems with this are:

Stripping Green Arrow of his identity and making him the ONLY non-meta Human in Super Max.