They tried to start this shit off with Dracula Untold in 2014, but it turned out so bad that the studio basically disowned it. Now they've got the writers of The Transformers and Star Trek memberberries producing a planned series of at least six pictures, with The Mummy coming out this summer, starring Tom Cruise as the mummy fighter and Russell Crowe as Dr. Jekyll.
Can this succeed as a studio property when most of the characters are public domain?
Can you make a successful "shared Universe" today when the most famous characters are villains? Will they turn some villains into heroes, like what insane Sony execs are trying to do with Venom?
Will the producers be able to read the scripts? They have a hard time reading fiction.
https://youtu.be/rz28DKhemLg?t=12s
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 01:04 (eight years ago)
memberberries?
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 01:59 (eight years ago)
apparently its from an episode of south park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndI9vkgw_1Y
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 02:02 (eight years ago)
and now an internet meme with t-shirts.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 02:05 (eight years ago)
Does the general audience even know that Universal was known for its monster movies at one point? do they know that CHiPs was a TV show?
Will China accept vampire killing when they don't accept ghost busting?
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 02:24 (eight years ago)
the mummy movies do huge business in asia and worldwide.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=mummy.htm
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 04:19 (eight years ago)
no
― stanley weebeard (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 09:04 (eight years ago)
Did they announce who they've cast as Abbott and Costello?
― Ambling Shambling Man (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 12:15 (eight years ago)
I'm waiting for the shared Ed Wood universe films
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 13:13 (eight years ago)
finally, plan 10 from outer space
― stanley weebeard (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:26 (eight years ago)
Bob & Carol & Glen & Glenda
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:29 (eight years ago)
Ex-Wife of the Monster
― Ambling Shambling Man (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:30 (eight years ago)
I was going to go with Father of the Bride of the Monster but now I just feel redundant.
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:32 (eight years ago)
i'm sure Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are set
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:37 (eight years ago)
Jonah Hill replaced by Kenan Thompson after #MonstersSoWhite controversy
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:39 (eight years ago)
perhaps you have not considered the vintage Universal #ScaredBlackGuys meme.
― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:51 (eight years ago)
Orci admitting he doesn't like fiction is incredible.
― jmm, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:52 (eight years ago)
I can't think of anyone I'd rather give money to than an artist who's not that into their chosen medium.
― Ambling Shambling Man (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 14:58 (eight years ago)
"Sculptures are kind of stupid and pointless, but you should totally buy mine."
no he's going to tell the REAL story of the Mummy, not the fictionalized one
― Neanderthal, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 15:00 (eight years ago)
See...the action and the adventure of transporting a sarcophagus to a museum!
― Ambling Shambling Man (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 15:06 (eight years ago)
Who's Orci?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 15:06 (eight years ago)
Who ISN'T Orci?
― Neanderthal, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 15:09 (eight years ago)
Oh it's the producer
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 15:11 (eight years ago)
He's also one of the screenwriters behind a number of recent incoherent movies.
― jmm, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 16:22 (eight years ago)
the trailer for the nu-mummy makes it look like a netflix movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzorZUuZqEI
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 16:24 (eight years ago)
bad effects. the use of paint it black makes me think of some 1992 movie for some reason.
i liked the fraser/rock mummies. cheesy in a fun way. you know, old-fashioned.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 16:25 (eight years ago)
Shame this won't be good, because Sofia Boutella looks really cool in it, but just seen her in the trailer for Atomic Blonde.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 16:53 (eight years ago)
*eyes 'posts very much in character' thread*
― stanley weebeard (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 16:58 (eight years ago)
Tiger Raid also looks better than Kingsman, Star Trek Beyond and this.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:06 (eight years ago)
I don't think universal have really done anything Creature From The Black Lagoon since the original film series. Can't imagine Invisible Man getting his own film, he never really seemed like part of the gang.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:11 (eight years ago)
Lol at the discovery happening via explosive terror attack - in Egypt? Who? - where the terrorists then just wander off afterwards. That must be one shitty script.
― Frederik B, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:12 (eight years ago)
Hunchback remake definitely not happening.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:20 (eight years ago)
someone should invent some new cool monsters. frankenstein and all that so tired by now. had no interest in seeing that cgi frankenstein one with whatshisface in it a few years back.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:20 (eight years ago)
can't remember anything about roger corman's frankenstein...
oh, wait, now i remember.
https://schlockwave.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/dr-frankmonster.jpeg
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:22 (eight years ago)
Never seen that one. I know it's based on a Brian Aldiss book.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:27 (eight years ago)
I get so excited when I hear about a new Frankenstein movie. There seems to be this bottomless well of potential, with each new iteration somehow finding a fresh and exciting angle that makes us all rethink what we thought we knew about Frankenstein. It's almost as if the character itself is himself Prometheus, perpetually weaving new stories and ideas and dreams never before imagined. I can't think of any aspect of our culture that wouldn't be vastly improved by somehow incorporating Frankenstein.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:28 (eight years ago)
What was the doctor called again? The one who made Frankenstein? Who cares, really. Frankenstein is the only one who matters, really.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:29 (eight years ago)
Frankenstein.
phil hartman and peter boyle kinda the only franks i need.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:29 (eight years ago)
if it wasn't for regular frankenstein remakes we wouldn't have experienced the wonder of ripped branagh
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2e/d0/b0/2ed0b03b046dab016bae81b88e7282ec.jpg
― stanley weebeard (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:31 (eight years ago)
I can't think of any aspect of our culture that wouldn't be vastly improved by somehow incorporating Frankenstein.
he did wonders for cereal
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:32 (eight years ago)
Frankenstein's Daughter, guys:
https://huntercamp.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/84f0e-frankensteinsdaughter2b2528332529.jpg
(Which is terrible but actually also great but obviously mostly terrible.)
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:33 (eight years ago)
I watched that James McAvoy/Harry Potter "Victor Frankenstein" movie and it was godawful.
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:33 (eight years ago)
If you want different angles maybe Mammoth Book Of Frankenstein? Agonizing Resurrection Of Frankenstein by Ligotti and the Aldiss book.
The Bride is another non-universal film but it's not very good.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:35 (eight years ago)
It has Sting in it.
I wish every year's Academy Awards had a Best Actor/Actress Portraying a Frankenstein category so I didn't have to try to figure out for myself who was the best Frankenstein of a given year.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:36 (eight years ago)
"You're all winners! Get up here, you Frankensteins!"
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:37 (eight years ago)
now i miss phil hartman. :(
― scott seward, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 17:37 (eight years ago)
barely global tbh
― stanley weebeard (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 18:05 (eight years ago)
I think SNK said they wanted .couka shared film universe but I don't see that ever happening. Apparently lots of companies are aiming for something like that. Hope it's a fad, please please be a fad.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 18:11 (eight years ago)
".couka"? I meant "a".
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 4 April 2017 18:12 (eight years ago)
shared universe probably just means Van Helsing shows up in all the movies or something
people keep talking about that stuff that went down in Egypt
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Tuesday, 4 April 2017 18:15 (eight years ago)
Hunchback remake definitely not happening.― Robert Adam Gilmour,
― Robert Adam Gilmour,
From Universal, probably not, but I wouldn't but it past Disney, who have twelve remakes in the works.
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 00:31 (eight years ago)
if this doesn't lead to a Monster Squad reboot then they will have blown it.
not really interested tbh. there are so many great classic monster movies to see why even waste your time? i don't need to see a CGI Dracula.
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 01:08 (eight years ago)
this is why i watch so much t.v.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 01:46 (eight years ago)
Adam Bruneau- I don't want any of these new universal series either but I don't agree that there's that many classic monster films, at least in this mode. Bride Of Frankenstein is the best of the Universal set but it goes in a completely different direction, it's more like an old Disney film with horror imagery.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:01 (eight years ago)
Ed Solomon is doing Invisible Man so that might be a comedy.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:02 (eight years ago)
What if in the new mummy movie they unwrap the mummy at the end and it turns out he's a dracula under the bandages, and then they chase the dracula through his own movie and kill him and then someone turns his dead body into a Frankenstein, and then at the end of the Frankenstein movie his back gets broken so now he's a hunchback, then the hunchback drinks a potion and turns into a jeckle. Would this work do you think.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:13 (eight years ago)
What if there were no monsters? Just a thought.
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:18 (eight years ago)
Would this work do you think.
Maybe if the jeckle got sent to live in a black lagoon, then got so covered in weed and stuff that everyone thinks he's a mummy.
― chap, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:22 (eight years ago)
These are beautiful ideas, I will pitch them.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:24 (eight years ago)
You could make the no-monsters monster movie just by putting invisible sauce on them like what invisible man did to himself. They could be standing in plain sight and people are running around saying, 'wheres that dracula, wheres that wolfman,' and the only way they'd ever even know there were monsters at all is if they listen for them laughing under their breaths.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:26 (eight years ago)
Would wolfman's hairs turn visible when he moults? That could be a plot point.
― chap, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:28 (eight years ago)
Hmm, yes, you always have to consider little details like that. I anticipate at least a couple of scenes where people can't tell the difference between a mummy and a wrapped-up invisible man, as well. Particularly after the mummy has made himself invisible under his bandages. It will lead to philosophical thoughts of, well, what is the difference between a man and a mummy when you take off their wrappings and they're both invisible?
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:31 (eight years ago)
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Wednesday, April 5, 2017 1:18 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
in the final credits, Cruise realizes the monster was him all along.
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:37 (eight years ago)
Or maybe they could name the mummy Miscavige.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:41 (eight years ago)
the thing I hate about these movies is that the supernatural leads are near-invincible so they're almost always defeated in lame ways
"OH NO YOU SAID THE MAGIC PHRASE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAMPBELL'S SOUP LABEL, MY POWERS ARE DRAINING!"
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:45 (eight years ago)
A Dracula falls asleep under a tree in 1869, he wakes up in 2019 and decides to run for President. And get this, his opponent is Van Helsing, who drives a stake through his heart during a debate. The rest of the monsters appear as pundits.
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:49 (eight years ago)
I don't agree that there's that many classic monster films, at least in this mode
what is "this mode"? no idea if Universal horror movies are considered to have a certain style. but there are many classic films, from the originals with Chaney & Lugosi, the iconic Frankenstein monster, etc. and the later era spin offs are even worth seeing (i saw Abbot & Costello recently, it was a riot). then you have 50s/60s Christopher Lee-Peter Cushing era monsters and gothic romance versions of Dracula, which continued into the 70s with many of the same actors and sets but in a post-Manson Family post-Rosemary's Baby world, when it kind of became more about murder cults.
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:07 (eight years ago)
is Hammer Horror really different than Universal i have no idea
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:08 (eight years ago)
What is the proper collective noun for multiple draculas?
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:24 (eight years ago)
more boobs...
x-post
― scott seward, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:25 (eight years ago)
draculae
― scott seward, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:26 (eight years ago)
Adam- Worth seeing yes, but not many great films. And I say this as someone who's really really into all this stuff. Still some gaps to fill in like House Of Wax, Spanish Dracula, Tower Of London (Karloff version). I don't want to be exhaustive though, because there's a lot that nobody seems to like.
I would consider Hammer similar enough in their monster films.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:31 (eight years ago)
xp, no, is it like, "A gaggle of draculas?" A pride? A herd?
― Lauren Schumer Donor (Phil D.), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:39 (eight years ago)
An exsanguination of draculas, iirc.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:40 (eight years ago)
(i saw Abbot & Costello recently, it was a riot)
There are at least six(?) Abbott & Costello Meet a Horrific Beast that Unaccountably Fails to Murder Them movies.
― The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 18:41 (eight years ago)
a mouthful of draculas
― scattered, smothered, covered, diced and chunked (WilliamC), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 20:29 (eight years ago)
Collective noun'Coven' has been used as a collective noun for vampires, possibly based on the Wiccan usage. An alternative collective noun is a 'house' of vampires.(128) David Malki, author of Wondermark, suggests in Wondermark No. 566 the use of the collective noun 'basement', as in "A basement of vampires."(129)
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Wednesday, 5 April 2017 23:23 (eight years ago)
Wiccan usage, like those loons could even spell their own names
― I hear from this arsehole again, he's going in the river (James Morrison), Thursday, 6 April 2017 07:16 (eight years ago)
just reading up on this because I was finally subjected to the mummy trailer. these movies are going to be a money bonfire.
― your cognitive privilege (El Tomboto), Monday, 8 May 2017 01:01 (eight years ago)
Let's all laugh at the Universal Dark Universe
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Saturday, 10 June 2017 12:55 (seven years ago)
i'm sure Frankenstein is going to be a superspeedy brute force killing machine that says monosyllabic one-liners
― Charles "Butt" Stanton (Neanderthal), Saturday, 10 June 2017 14:29 (seven years ago)
http://www.vulture.com/2017/11/universal-has-reportedly-given-up-on-its-monsterverse.html
― mizzell, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:32 (seven years ago)
You know what would be a really good idea? Rebooting the Universal Monsterverse! Think about it: Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf-man, Bride of Frankenstein, Mummy, Invisible Man ... they're monsters! It writes itself.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:39 (seven years ago)
Friends forever
https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/dark-universe-cast-may-2017_universal.jpg
― jmm, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:53 (seven years ago)
What a hunk of high profile pop culture detritus that photo is.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:56 (seven years ago)
really regretting my decision to watch the tom cruise mummy twice in the last three weeks now
― drinkmaster sealcup at yr service (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 20:59 (seven years ago)
would you rather watch some behind-the-scenes video of that photo shoot or eat a roll of tinfoil?
― phenibut rock (rip van wanko), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 21:03 (seven years ago)
Noooooooo, now I will never see Stephen Dorff's Creature from the Black Lagoon team up with Kevin Corrigan's Dracula to battle Tom Sizemore's Igor!
― Bernard Crunderdunder (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 21:09 (seven years ago)
Bizarro- why twice?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 22:53 (seven years ago)
surely the live action Looney Tunes cinematic universe must be due soon
― the intentional phallusy (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 8 November 2017 22:54 (seven years ago)
X-Men: First Class scribes Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz are going a little looney, and directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa may soon join them.The power writing duo has been hired to write the untitled Acme movie project being developed by Warner Bros. At the same time, Ficarra and Requa, who directed Crazy Stupid Love for the studio, are in early negotiations to direct the project, which has its roots in Warners' classic Looney Tunes cartoons.Steve Carell, who toplined Crazy Stupid Love, is attached to star in the project, which is being produced by Dan Lin and Roy Lee. The latter two were behind the mega-successful and franchise-launching The Lego Movie, and the studio and producers are envisioning the Acme project as an event movie that will also launch a franchise.Plot details are being kept under an anvil, but the Acme Corporation is a fictional manufacturer of crazy and sometimes dangerous products (that also tend to malfunction at the most inopportune times) that are used by many a Looney Tunes character. The company's products are most commonly used by Wile E. Coyote in his never-ending quest to capture the Road Runner.The movie, however, would not center on the Looney Tunes characters and is being planned as a CG/live-action hybrid.
The power writing duo has been hired to write the untitled Acme movie project being developed by Warner Bros. At the same time, Ficarra and Requa, who directed Crazy Stupid Love for the studio, are in early negotiations to direct the project, which has its roots in Warners' classic Looney Tunes cartoons.
Steve Carell, who toplined Crazy Stupid Love, is attached to star in the project, which is being produced by Dan Lin and Roy Lee. The latter two were behind the mega-successful and franchise-launching The Lego Movie, and the studio and producers are envisioning the Acme project as an event movie that will also launch a franchise.
Plot details are being kept under an anvil, but the Acme Corporation is a fictional manufacturer of crazy and sometimes dangerous products (that also tend to malfunction at the most inopportune times) that are used by many a Looney Tunes character. The company's products are most commonly used by Wile E. Coyote in his never-ending quest to capture the Road Runner.
The movie, however, would not center on the Looney Tunes characters and is being planned as a CG/live-action hybrid.
from 3 years ago though :(
― Number None, Wednesday, 8 November 2017 22:59 (seven years ago)
I finally saw Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and it was awesome.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 9 November 2017 00:58 (seven years ago)
There's an awful 90s video film that seems like the writers went on strike and the bosses had to write it themselves. Some of the worst garbage I've seen from a major company, like shockingly amateurish.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Thursday, 9 November 2017 01:03 (seven years ago)
Space Jam was rad.
they should just remake that. it even has ironic/magic Bill Murray.
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 9 November 2017 01:36 (seven years ago)
first time was on a plane with a limited selection of movies i han't already seen, second time was with my wife who refused to believe my reporting of how shitty and tin-eared the introduction of tom cruise's character is - once we started watching she wanted to see how much worse it could get so i ended up sitting through the whole thing again
have we talked about cruise's intro itt? he and jake johnson are allegedly-charming special forces rogues who steal antiquities from the middle east. we meet them fighting isis for control of a site of historical and archaelogical importance. they get in over their heads and are only saved by calling in an airstrike which... atomises the site of historical and archaelogical importance
tfw when you aim to write a lovable han solo character and end up overshooting the mark and have him help isis achieve their goals instead :(
― drinkmaster sealcup at yr service (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 9 November 2017 09:28 (seven years ago)
Gritty reboot of isis in syrian civil war universe
― But doctor, I am Camille Paglia (Bananaman Begins), Thursday, 9 November 2017 09:34 (seven years ago)