Ok, we’ve all heard recently that Marvel Studios wants to tap their C-list canon of super hero comic book properties, because they’ve basically already exhausted their A-list.
Meaning those characters and films — “The Avengers,” “Iron Man,” “Thor” “The Hulk,” “Captain America” — have already reached the screen or are in development to hit the screen in the near future (2011 for “Thor” and “Captain America,” 2012 for “The Avengers”).
But Marvel as a company has to start thinking big picture and beyond 2012, so the recent idea has been to tap lesser-known properties like “Dr. Strange,” “Power Pack,” “Dazzler,” “Iron Fist,” and Ka-Zar” (and mostly because their real A-list, “Spider-Man,” “X-Men” and the mutant universe, “Daredevil,” “Fantastic Four” and its universe are owned by other studios) and make them for a very lean $30-40 million dollars (a micro-budget when it comes to super-hero films).
Whether that’s actually feasible economically — can they shoot a super hero film that cheaply without major effects compromise? — one of the other properties bandied about was Luke Cage, aka Power Man, an African American character who gained inhuman powers in a terrible accident leaving him with near impregnable skin and superhuman strength (Cage eventually teams up with martial arts superhero “Iron Fist,” but a solo film for each of them before they collaborate is more bang for Marvel’s buck).
And apparently, according to the L.A. Times there is movement around this character and potential film franchise. There’s not a lot of details, but the reporter states, “a notable Hollywood star is now having (very) preliminary talks with Marvel Studios about the property and its potential.”
Ok, that’s not a lot and it sounds like super early days, but for those that actually want to see a black super hero hit the screen that is not Shaft or Superfly, this might be a form of small hope.
This wouldn’t be the first time the idea of a “Power Man” film has been thrown around. Director John Singleton and model/actor Tyrese Gibson have been talking up the idea since around 2005, but nothing seems to have come of it. Columbia optioned the rights for the project in 2003, but it appears that rights have reverted back to Marvel Studios, and if they’re smart they’ll ditch Singleton asap (which they probably already have) and start from scratch. Jamie Foxx’s name was thrown around in 2005, but after “Ray” and his Oscar win, they weren’t about to get that actor for a cheap price.
Either way, this one has spent years in development and our guess is we won’t see it anytime soon. We suggest Terrence Howard on a serious protein diet and work out regime, but at this point he probably wants Marvel to go screw themselves.