Nanananananananana---BATFILM!!

Arguably more popular than Superman (if not necessarily more famous), a follow-on film relaunching Batman following my Superman movie me-boot was a sure thing. 

Like Superman, there's no exact moment where Bruce Wayne becomes Batman. The origin story of the character takes 20-something years. So rather than trying to run the entire span of time and hopefully get Bruce in the bat costume by Act III, I figured I'd start the film with him already Batman and hook the story on another milestone in his crime fighting career: his first meeting with future-sidekick Dick Grayson.

The comics have gone back and forth on the concept, but one idea that could make this work is to have Bruce be acting as Batman for a couple years before the story starts, but only as an urban legend. Then by introducing Robin, we get a chance to visit Batman's origin and see it through the eyes of  someone going through the same struggle.

My villain of choice is the Black Mask, a fairly recent addition to the Batman mythos, his efforts to drown Gotham in a crime wave combined with his childhood as a member of the wealthy elite makes him a good foe for Bruce Wayne and a viable contender for someone who'd try to assassinate a circus kid who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Until now, Batman has only faced off against normal thugs and hoodlums, but Black Mask takes a little inspiration from the cowled crusader and invokes the power of masks. Invoking the Iroquois tradition of the False Face Society, he uses masks to bind crooks to him and expand his power base until he's ready to assume full control.

So thematically, our main story and B story deal with the blossoming role of masked heroes in our newborn DC Universe and delve a bit into -why- Bruce Wayne does what he does in the form of the "vengeance vs justice" arguments. He starts off a little obsessed, but being able to see himself from the outside in the form of Dick Grayson, he realizes the difference between the two goals.

So let's begin -


Act I
A police raid on an arms deal goes south when a handful of heavily-armed and strangely masked enforcers turn the op into a siege. Fortunately, the mysterious vigilante Batman secretly arrives to take down the criminals with only fleeting glimpses and hazy news footage to say he was ever there.

The police are more interested in denying the Batman's existence, with the sole exception of police commissioner Jim Gordon who is actually secretly working -with- Batman to help solve some crimes his boys can't.

Able to summon Batman to his office by shining a marked lamp onto his window, Gordon and Batman confab on the new gang they fought. Gordon fears the masks show the underworld is taking inspiration from the legends of the batman and are upping their game in response. Batman, however, is more intrigued by how members of these masked enforcers were traditionally members of rival crime families who now seem to be working together, and which included one man whom Batman thought had been killed by police fire not too long ago. He promises to look more into it and departs into the night.

Meanwhile, we get our first introduction to Black Mask when a couple escapees from the police raid bring an injured companion to him and his Crime Doctor. Black Mask claims there's always room for one more.


Act II Pt 1
At stately Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne has been up all night in the Batcave trying to figure out how the guns from last night's raid got into the city. When Alfred finally tracks him down with breakfast, Wayne is able to bounce ideas off of him until they latch onto the clue contained in the shipping crate rather than on the guns themselves. The packing material isn't straw, but rather hay. Just like what would be used as animal fodder in a zoo or circus. Like, say, Haley's Circus with it's large transportation capacity and constant travel around the country. They decide that Bruce Wayne will attend tonight's show.

At the circus, Bruce plays up the extravagant playboy persona until he's able to break away to do some behind-the-scenes investigating. A chance encounter with a young acrobat named Dick Grayson inspires the inquisitive youth to try to trail Wayne, but Bruce soon spots him (despite his gymnastic-based stealth skills) and corners him. Their interaction is cut short when they overhear some of Black Mask's men talking about the next shipment, and they both hide to listen in on the plan. Bruce recognizes one of them as former hitman and tells Dick to stay while he goes to get help (ie change into Batman). Unfortunately, Grayson is spotted, and a fighting chase ensues while the thugs try to silence Dick while Batman tries to stop them.

The chase leads to the big top where Dick joins his family on the high wire act. The hitmen and Batman stay to the fringes out of sight, but Batman remembers too late that the hitman he recognized is an ace shot and he gets off a bullet severing the trapeze wire and sending Dick's parents to their deaths.

Batman is stunned as he looks at the now-orphaned Dick Grayson (and his parents lying artistically in the same poses he remembers his own parents in after their murder), but he's shaken out of his reverie by the uproar in the audience. Most are horrified by the deaths they witnessed, but a few people spot Batman in the rafters. He flees into the shadows under their accusations.

A few days of police questioning and investigation lead to the circus being shut down and Dick with no place to stay. Bruce offers to take in the boy while they look for any next of kin. The truth is, though, that Bruce feels he could've stopped the gunshot if he hadn't been so concerned about staying out of sight of the crowd, and wonders if his secrecy is worth the Grayson's lives.

Meanwhile, Black Mask makes his next move during a meeting with all the local crime bosses. While they're questioning his value to them now that his smuggling path has been closed, he signals to the body guards the mob bosses brought with them (one of whom is the injured thug we saw being treated by him earlier). They pull on their masks, proclaim themselves part of Black Mask's False Face Society, and kill all their employers, leaving Black Mask boss of the Gotham underworld.


Act II Pt 2
Back at Wayne Manor, Dick is getting settled in when talk turns to the man who killed his parents. Bruce thinks it's a bad idea to talk about it, but Dick insists. He knows Bruce recognized him when he saw him and wants to know who he is. Bruce admits that he knew him as a mob hitman, but thought he'd been retired after taking a bullet last year. That's when he starts making the connection between him and the other thug he'd busted whom he'd thought was dead. Per his usual habit, he starts bouncing some names and ideas off of Alfred as he comes up with a theory. That's when Grayson looks at him and says "you're him aren't you?" He's guessed that Bruce is actually Batman.

Alfred tries to laugh it off, but to his surprise, Bruce just says "yes". He takes the boy to the Batcave and explains that he too is an orphan, his parents taken from him by the gun of some two-bit hood. Dick begs Bruce to let him in on getting the guy who killed his parents, but Bruce turns him down. It's not about revenge, it's about justice. It took him a while to realize that himself and until he realizes the difference, he'll never find peace.

Following his earlier hunch, he pulls up details of the injured hoods he'd mentioned earlier. Each had been grievously wounded in some police action or gang violence, but each seemed to be active again and working for an unknown boss. The commonality seems to be the medical treatment which kept them alive.

Commissioner Gordon takes custody of a prisoner for questioning in one of the police interrogation rooms and sends the accompanying detective out on a wild goose chase for missing paperwork, freeing the room up for Batman. The thug ain't talking, but that's okay because Batman doesn't need him to talk. He just tears open his shirt revealing some recently treated wounds. Batman explains to Gordon that the suturing on an injury is individual to each surgeon, and by that by measuring the spacing and method of tying off, you can identify the surgeon who did it. 

From the Batmobile, Batman tells Alfred (and Dick) that he's found a match to the treatment from a disgraced doctor, Bradford Thorne, who lost his license for practices done in the employ of a crime family. He's since gone underground, but Batman has an idea of who can tell him where he is. 

Jump to some thugs on the run from Batman's assaults, one of whom has been particularly injured. The desperate gang give Batman the slip (they think) and decide to take their hurt buddy to the Crime Doctor. It's not until they're inside his secret clinic that the injured thug reveals himself as a disguised Batman. He takes out all the thugs and bodyguards and confronts the doctor himself.

Thorne, however, is in the middle of treating another patient and pleads for his safety. Distracted by the conflict, Batman gets blindsided by the doctor who jabs him with a hypodermic needle and knocks him out.

He wakes up strapped to the operating table (with its former occupant lying dead in the corner from his injuries the Doctor never finished treating). Thorne explains that his Hypocratic Oath prevents him from killing anyone, but the right incisions to the right muscle groups would leave Batman a cripple. It's also a bad idea to anesthetize him again so soon after the previous injection, so he might have to endure some pain.

Fortunately for Batman, the doctor is interrupted by the arrival of Dick Grayson. Wearing a mix of his circus costume and spare bat-gear, he keeps the doctor occupied while Batman frees himself. Together, they're able to subdue him and the beaten doctor spills his guts, revealing the existence of the False Face Society, how its made up of crooks who owe their lives to Thorne and his benefactor, and how they're actually all now working for Roman Sionis, the Black Mask.


Act III
Back at the Batcave, Bruce is a furious at Alfred for sending Dick to rescue him. The plan had always been for Alfred to data-dump everything to Gordon if he went missing, and it wasn't fair to put this kid in danger to save him. Alfred talks him down, though, telling him there's no way he would let Bruce die on his watch, and if it wasn't Dick coming to the rescue it would have been Alfred and now they'd both be dead.

This mollifies Bruce a bit and they start making plans for where to find Sionis and how to take him down. They identify a penthouse that he owns through some shell groups and surveillance reveals a lot of activity there tonight. Bruce recognizes some big names in foreign cartels there and realizes the Black Mask is trying to expand even farther.

During preparations, Dick convinces Bruce to let him come along. He held up well under fire from the Crime Doctor and, more importantly, accepts the difference between revenge and justice. Batman agrees, and he and Alfred start kitting him out properly.

At Black Mask's penthouse, he's meeting with representatives from a number of representatives from crime cartels from other cities and countries. Now that he's the sole boss for Gotham, he can represent his city on the international market. Gotham is ripe to become a crime Mecca. Their meeting, however, is interrupted by the building fire alarm. Activated by the newly-minted Robin, the alarm leads to a building evacuation, clearing out all the  non-combatant tenants and, coincidentally, summoning the police and fire department. The criminals don't have much time to think about it, though, because soon after Batman storms in and starts ninja-ing all of the False Face goons and international thugs. At one point, it looks like he's going to be cornered just by sheer numbers, but Robin arrives and the duo start working smoothly together to dismantle everything.

Of course Sionis has an escape route, but Batman's able to follow him and catches up with him in his panic room (of sorts). Surrounded by displays of masks from many cultures and times, the two play cat-and-mouse until Batman outwits him and finally brings him down.

A few escaping thugs are being apprehended by the Gotham police on scene, but the prize is when Batman himself delivers Black Mask personally and unmasks him. He's seen by everyone from emergency services to building tenants to news reporters before disappearing into the night, and his status as an urban legend is officially over.

Credits


Cast
Bruce Wayne/Batman
Alex O'Loughlin

Y'know, they still call Batman the world's greatest detective, but it seems like these days he's mostly used as the world's greatest karate expert who happens to have a really good computer. I'd like to see a lot more of Batman's detective side in play here. Sure he's really good in a fight, but he stacks the deck in his favor with some advanced planning, using the setting to his advantage and perhaps a dose of strategic planning. If you've seen Corey Yuen's fight choreography like in the first Transporter movie, you know what I mean.

I had to search a bit for my perfect Bruce Wayne, because I really wanted an actor who could pull off both the physical prowess of the caped crusader as well as the entitled douchebaggery of Bruce Wayne. If you've seen O'Loughlin on 'Hawaii Five-O' then you know he can do both.

For his costume, I think I'm one of the few people who hate seeing him in armor. I certainly don't mind a tough weave that's knife-proof, but Batman should not be bulletproof on any level. Stealth and misdirection are more his defenses, coming out of the shadows where his victim isn't expecting him, shifting his cape to fool the gunman as to where his body is, or just terrifying the bad guy so much he can't shoot straight. If he needs a bullet to bounce off his chest, he's already failed at what he's trying to do.

With that in mind, let's imagine Wayne Enterprises bought out UnderArmor or something and developed a sports weave that didn't limit his maneuverability but still provided muscle and athletic support. Make it a tough weave that's resistant to cutting and you've got my Batsuit.


Dick Grayson/Robin
Jake Austin

Dick is here to provide a lot of contrast to Bruce. Having suffered a similar loss of parents at a young age, Dick is what happens when there's somebody there to support him who understands his loss. Initially wanting only vengeance, Bruce trains him to help him focus past that (and in doing so recognizes the slope his own life path is on.) Ultimately we have to believe that this partnership is of benefit to both parties, helping them adjust to the losses they've suffered.

For most of his career, Jake Austin was a Disney kid, but then he did a little program called Teen Wolf and upped his game a bit. I think a mix of that levity and intensity would play really well with our Boy Wonder.

And yeah, I know that picture is of the Tim Drake Robin rather than the Dick Grayson Robin, but I like how it shows an updated version of the old undies-and-booties version Dick wore and makes it look more practical. That's definitely the direction his costuming will go in for this version.


Roman Sionis/Black Mask
Joaquin Phoenix

The Black Mask's original shtick was that he was an enemy of Bruce Wayne's rather than a foe of Batman's. He'd gained some notoriety recently, though, for being able to assume control of Gotham's criminal element following the 'War Games' storyline, and that's obviously how I'm using him here. Essentially, he's the guy who recognized the power of masks and his False Face Society is able to manipulate the underworld until he comes out on top. He's a schemer and a manipulator who unfortunately hasn't quite yet learned how to handle his plans not going his way and that's when his temper comes into play.

When I want an actor who combines scheming with madness, I don't look any farther than Joaquin Phoenix. His performance as Commodus in 'Gladiator' is pretty close to what I'm thinking of, with just that extra glint of "scheming" in his eyes that he's gained over the past few years.

His modern appearance (and the one most likely recognized by fans) is of black skull mask, but I find that looks too much like a skull and not enough like a mask. His original mask, as seen above, was carved from his father's casket and has just the right menace to it. Who knows, maybe he'll have a variety of black masks he wears...


Bradford Thorne/The Crime Doctor
Neil Patrick Harris

Originally a surgeon who would hire himself out to plan criminal endeavors, the Crime Doctor was later repurposed as a surgeon who ran an underground clinic to treat injured criminals. His shtick of using surgical devices as weapons is campy AND gruesome, and I think it'll come as a bit of a shock when his skill at scalpel throwing (fer instance) is able to ward of Batman and Robin. He plays fast and loose with his hypocratic oath, but the fact that he still invokes it when it's convenient to him helps push him right to the edge of criminal. I love it.

A bit of stunt casting, perhaps, to have Doogie Howser as my criminal surgeon, but I absolutely think Harris can pull off the stereotypical sinister doctor thing without actually coming across as stereotypical. Harris can change gears on a dime, and that shifting personality is just what I want in my "is he crazy or just evil" Crime Doctor. He would also totally rock those Elton John glasses. I'm just sayin'...


Alfred Pennyworth
Hugh Laurie

In the comics, Bruce Wayne's butler is one mask away from being a superhero himself. Different stories have him being a former actor/spy/surgeon/bodyguard. I'd like to dial him back a bit and focus more on his role as surrogate father/confidante.  In fact, I'd like to start him out here as still a little unprepared for Bruce's extracurricular activities. The oooold Batman serials had Alfred as an easily-spooked fop, and I certainly don't want to go that far, but I think a little shock and amazement on his part will help emphasize how out there Bruce is.

Hugh Laurie is probably more famous for his role on  'House,' but he actually comes from a long history of comedic acting in England and I'd love to see some of that resurface in an Alfred who struggles to maintain his stiff upper lip in the face of all the trouble his employer is getting into.


Commissioner Jams Gordon
Brian Cranston


Commissioner Gordon has to be struggling. His city is riddled with crime and his police force is rife with corruption. How else can you explain this otherwise law-abiding peace officer's willingness to work with a masked vigilante. He may not want to, but at some point he accepted the need. Perhaps not quite at the "bat-shaped spotlight on the roof" level yet, but that may be only because he's one of the few people who know Batman exists. He's constantly trying to guess who Batman is, of course, and it's become a sort of game the two of them play.

I see Brian Cranston on every fancast comic list out there and I guess it's about time I find a place for him in my Maybe Studios DCU. To say he has some intensity to him is a bit of an understatement and I think that perfectly aligns with the desperation and boldness we need from the police commissioner of a corrupt and crime-riddled city.

The Batmobile

Special mention for an iconic element of Batman's stable: the Batmobile. Recent trends have been to militarize Batman's vehicles, but that's not a direction I like. I see Bruce buying more into the powered-up concept vehicle types. He wants speed and maneuverability as well as the ability to disappear without a trace.

A fantastical muscle car like the Twin Mill (designed by Hot Wheels, of all people) is very much like what I'm looking for. You can even see where an awesome bat-logo could be incorporated into the front. It's probably very loud, but that's likely part of the distraction. Imagine this thing roaring through the night when suddenly Batman switches it to "hush mode" and drops out of sight. It'd just vanish! They did something similar with the Tumbler for about 2 seconds in 'Batman Begins' and it was my favorite moment in that film. 




Future Expansion

I've already blurbed a couple cross-over films with Batman and Wonder Woman in my Superman re-do film page. But in between those there's room for a couple more Batman films.

Batman 2
With Gotham's organized crime getting a big look at in this film, I'd like to put Batman up against a crazed serial killer. In this role, I'm reaching back into the depths of Batman's history to bring in the original Clayface, Basil Karlo. Horribly disfigured through self-inflicted attempts to stay young forever, the reclusive actor comes out of seclusion to seek revenge on the people involved in trying to remake his classic horror films. Karlo's ability to mold his face into anyone's appearance leads Batman in circles, and the involvement of the clue-dropping Riddler is as much a hindrance as a help. 

Batman 3
District Attorney Harvey Dent is having some success locking away the criminals that the Batman is catching. So successful, that the underworld teams up to take him out. In the process, Two-Face is born, and his legal leaning are turned on their sides. Not only does he release the villains Batman has put away in Arkham, but manages to capture Batman himself and put him on trial.

Send in the Clones

My last dip into fantasy Hollywood was to armchair screenwrite 'The Phantom Menace' with an imaginary George Lucas and produce a prequel story that both stuck with Lucas' vision/ideas for his universe while molding it a little bit into a more cohesive story that I (at least) wanted it to be.

Doing that, though, assumed that I'd be following it up with a Maybe Studios re-do of 'Attack of the Clones,' which I've found a little more challenging because, to be honest, I didn't hate that movie. Now, I didn't hate 'Menace' either, but my recent re-watching of the prequels showed that 'Clones' was pretty good if you cut out all the scenes with C3PO and ended all of Padme and Anakin's scenes together about 90 seconds early.

So mostly this version will be to integrate some of the minor changes I did in 'Menace' and set the stage for some much bigger changes in 'Revenge of the Sith.'

Again, it isn't my intent to actually re-write the movie. Many other fans have done that and a lot have done it better than I probably could. Holding true to my original intent, this re-do will take the elements Lucas created for the story, and just kind of trim and refocus them to align more with my tastes. In other words, we at the Maybe Machine are pretending that we're working with George Lucas rather than replacing him.

Setting the Stage: The Galactic Senate
I don't know how the Galactic Republic has been running for a thousand years because the Senate I see in action is indecisive and powerless. It feels a lot like a space-United Nations, with individual member nations/planets pushing for their own interests and only cooperating with others when it benefits them. Obviously there are power blocks within the Senate, such as however many systems have united to form the Trade Federation, and they would wield more clout than any other single system. That's how they were able to stalemate the Senate during their embargo of Naboo.

The Senate itself (and the position of chancellor) doesn't have any real authority beyond that which the planets grant them. Obviously Palpatine is trying to change this, but as we enter Episode II, the Republic is fracturing as the Separatists chip away at the Senate, enticing away systems and groups who don't feel the benefit of staying. It's a parallel to the American Civil War (or any civil war, I guess), where the nation couldn't survive if the member states were allowed to pack up and leave whenever they disagreed. Frankly, I have a hard time understanding why Amidala was opposed to the idea of a Republic Army, but there you go...

The Plan:
Again, I think it's important to spell out Palpatine's original plan here to fully appreciate the string pulling as well as identify when the heroes have disrupted a part of it that he needs to adapt to.

When last we left him, he'd just been elected chancellor of the Galactic Senate. Although our experience with that body shows that it's actually pretty powerless, Phase Two of his plan involves the Senate granting an increasing amount of power to the position. He does this by manipulating Count Dooku into forming a secessionist movement and then pushing him to greater acts of violence against the Republic. Of course the senators will agree that they need an army to defend themselves rather than leaving it up to each planet alone. Once he's been granted control of a galaxy-spanning army, he'll be ready to tighten his grip on the Republic systems. 

To sway the Sentate to his way of thinking, though, he'll need to strike closer to the heart of the Republic where those indecisive Senators have gathered.  


That's our stage as we roll the opening crawl.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Act I
Three years have passed since the end of 'Phantom Menace,' and Obi-Wan and Anakin have been trucking around the galaxy doing good deeds. Despite their best efforts, though, they've been unable to stem the tide of Dooku's secessionist movement. They've been recalled to Coruscant to brief the Senate on what they know of Dooku's actions. 

So far, the Secessionists are just a political movement backed by a terrorist group. Amidala believes that fielding an army against them will only unify the rebel systems and escalate things. In the Senate, she and Organa oppose the formation of a Grand Army and promote the Jedi as the peacekeeping solution against Dooku's terrorist forces.

Her efforts take a sudden blow when an explosion rips through the Senate building and a hologram of Dooku takes credit for it. Anakin, of course, is mostly concerned with Padme and races to find her in the wreckage. Fortunately, she was kept safe by her now-fiance Bail Organa, and Anakin doesn't know whether to be happy or jealous.

For those who knew Dooku as a Jedi, this terrorist attack doesn't seem like him, but Anakin and Obi-Wan saw first hand what his forces were doing in the Outer Rim and wouldn't put it past him.

Act II pt 1
In the wake of the Senate bombing, Palpatine takes on some additional executive authority to preserve the security of the Republic. The senate approval of the Grand Army looks imminent, and only catching those behind the bombing can halt the coming war. Of course Anakin makes vast, empty promises to her, which only adds to the pressure he's under to produce.

Obi-Wan and Anakin investigate the source of the bombing through some good old fashioned sleuthing and they report their findings to the Jedi Council.  Of equal importance is Anakin's growing frustration with his lack of control over the great powers at his command. He hides it well, but it's there under the surface for the darkly observant Palpatine to notice.  

Ultimately, they track the explosion to a Mandalorian clan which had proclaimed for the Separatists. The two Jedi infiltrate their hideout, and a battle between them and a handful of Mandalorians ends with the Mandos taking their own lives rather than being captured. 

Meanwhile, Padme is attempting to block the formation of an army by blocking its funding, but in the process uncovers evidence that Palpatine has already begun illegally outfitting an army and traces it to a planet called Kamino.

Act II pt 2
Padme wants to go on a fact-finding mission to Kamino and asks Bail to go with her. He needs to stay and continue their work at the Senate and actually suggests Anakin be the one to go with her. For Obi-Wan's part, he saw a bit of the rage that Anakin was displaying during the fight with the Mandos and suggests it might be good for him to get away for a bit. He assures him that the Mandalorian situation is resolved and he can spare some time off.

He's lying, though, because as soon as Ani is gone, he begins following up on the head of the Mando clan. He knows how they work and knows those on Coruscant wouldn't be acting without orders from their clan head. A Mandalorian named Jango Fett was calling the shots. He ultimately tracks Fett to a planet called Geonosis.

While all this is going on, Anakin and Padme are on their way to Kamino. It's obvious there's some romantic tension between them, but there still remains a class barrier. Anakin has the Jedi Order guiding his life, and Padme is ruled more by politics than by heart. Such talk is spread out over their discovery of, and introduction to, the massive army of clones that is being prepped for Republic service and has been in the works for a few years. 

On Geonosis, Obi-Wan infiltrates the compound and discovers the headquarters of the Separatists, but is captured half-way through giving his report.

On Kamino, Padme is reporting her discoveries to Organa who agrees to reveal it at the next Senate assembly. Their conversation is interrupted, though, by the receipt of Obi-Wan's report. They witness his capture by Fett and the battle droids. Organa also witnesses the transmission and says he'll inform the Council. Anakin heads out immediately to rescue Obi-Wan, and Padme won't be left behind.

Dooku has a talk with Obi-Wan, explaining his suspicions about a Dark Side presence in the government, but Obi-Wan doesn't believe him. It's worth mentioning that, in this version, Dooku is not a Sith. Rather, he's a former Jedi who left the order when he sensed it falling under the control of the Dark Side. Everything he says to Obi-Wan is his true belief, and it's a real shame he doesn't believe him.

Act III
The finale plays out almost exactly like it did in the original film. Anakin, Padme and R2 maneuver through the droid factory until they too are captured, and all three are dumped into the arena. Thinking they're going to die, Padme admits her love to Anakin before they and Obi-Wan are trussed up in the arena to face off against the three space monsters.

They're a hair's breadth away from being executed by the Geonosians when the rest of the Jedi Council shows up. What started as a rescue, though, turns into a war as the Geonosian droid factory opens up and spills out squads of battle droids and tanks. The Jedi are saved by the timely arrival of Bail Organa and the Clone Army, and the battle of Geonosis begins.

Padme declares that they can end the war before it starts if they can get Dooku, and she leads Obi-Wan and Anakin after him.

He leads them into a trap, though, and Padme is seriously injured. Anakin loses his shit and goes after Dooku hard. His power can't match Dooku's skill, though, and he manages to defeat him by lopping off one of his arms. As more back-up arrives, Dooku flees.

Anakin's last sight before blacking out is seeing Padme being cared for by Bail Organa.

Credits.

So again, it's recognizable as the original 'Attack of the Clones', but with some adjustments to play up Palpatine's manipulations (Dooku  is not a Sith but rather an unknowing tool) and stay true to the original trilogy characters (Yoda is not a great warrior).

The love story between Anakin and Padme gets a little help by being introduced more in Phantom Menace and allowed to grow over the course of this film. 

A little less Phantom, a little more Menace

I'm sure it's no coincidence that, on the heels of the release of Star Wars VII, my local single-screen theater decided to have an all-day marathon of the first six Star Wars movies. It'd been a long time since I'd seen the original trilogy on the big screen so of course I jumped at the chance.

You'll be happy to know that those older films still hold up today as some solid examples of film making (and shows that even the hokiest story can be salvaged by some great character work). To be honest, seeing the orig trig again just made me really sad about how the prequel trilogy turned out. The saga of Luke Skywalker proves that George Lucas really knew how to make a movie, and I can't help but wonder what happened in between the trilogies to give us the much-poorer-by-example saga of Anakin Skywalker.

I've read (and watched) more than one fan pitch on what they would do if -they- were making the prequels. And since that's the whole premise behind the Maybe Machine, I figured I too could give my ideas for a better prequel trilogy. However, while many of those other synopses were based on total rewrites and clean slates, I don't have the hubris to think that I know better than Lucas how to use his characters and universe.

Rather, I'd like to imagine this as a more collaborative effort. A process where George and I teamed up for a week at Skywalker Ranch to take his ideas and turn them into a more cohesive and fan-pleasing product. Effectively, I'll try to keep as many of his characters, locations and events in place, but might be shifting those elements around a bit.

Our first stop, of course, is 'The Phantom Menace,' but first let's set the stage for the opening chapter of our re-prequel series:

Setting the Stage: The Jedi Order
By the time of Star Wars IV: A New Hope, the Jedi Order was already faded from the galaxy, often derided as a hokey and ancient religion. Our Phantom Menace takes place just 25 years before that, and we're already seeing the Jedi Order in decline. Their numbers are diminished with fewer and fewer force sensitive youths found to join their ranks. Their glory days as galactic peacekeepers are well behind them, being relegated now to an almost ceremonial presence. 

Where once they could claim to have been on the front lines in the war against the Sith Empire or leading the way in galactic expansion in the outer rim, now they serve as political escorts or mediators in trade disputes. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant is an old, dusty edifice far too large for the less-than-100 Jedi currently occupying it. Their clothing is more like ancient robes and frontier-wear than the modern clothing and uniforms worn by the citizens of the Republic.

In all ways they're fading in the eyes of the average Republic citizen, which is why it's so important when a young slave is discovered to be so strong in the force...

The Plan:
Before we get too deep into the weeds, I think we need to understand what Palpatine's plan is. As much as I liked the idea of seeing the master string-puller work things to catapult himself into the seat of ultimate power, his actual plan was never very clear. I'll at least want it spelled out here so we have some context of what drives Episode I.

Phase One of his plan is to be elected to the leadership position of the Galactic Senate. Even as that political body seems ineffective and powerless, it's a place to start building power and getting there is all that concerns us in Phantom Menace.

Through his alternate identity as Darth Sidious, Palpatine engineers a political upheaval on his home planet of Naboo. When the current chancellor of the Senate sends a couple Jedi to mediate the dispute, all Palpatine has to do is make sure they fail and he'll have grounds to declare the chancellor a failure and move for a new election (and, as the wounded party, would have the best chance of getting elected). As a Sith, his assumed way of ensuring this failure is to kill the Jedi on Naboo. Of course they escape, but at least we know Palpatine's plan as the movie starts.

And that's where our saga starts. Cue John Williams music!

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Act I
Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi arrive on Naboo to mediate a dispute between the planet and the Trade Federation which has placed an embargo around the planet. Obi-Wan is frustrated with this menial task and longs for the days when Jedi were respected peacekeepers rather than glorified honor guards. Qui-Gon sends him to check the building exterior where he meets a 14-year-old slave named Anakin. This acerbic, acid-tongued teen gives Obi-Wan some insights into the dichotomy of Naboo society, only lightening his tone when he catches sight of the beautiful young Princess Padme as she makes her way to observe the meeting.

Because Obi-Wan is wandering the grounds, he's in the perfect spot to notice the additional landing ships which have come to Naboo and recognizes the occupation for what it is. He and Anakin race back to the council chambers to warn them, but they arrive too late to save the royal family from the assassin droids. Instead, the two Jedi, with the aid of Anakin, are only able to spirit away now-Queen Amidala.

Trade Federation leaders occupy the city, but their cloaked master reports his displeasure. The new queen and her Jedi escorts must NOT reach the capital. Despite the manhunt, they manage to make it to a hangar and break through the embargo.

Act II pt 1
Qui-Qon watches Anakin closely during their flight, pointing out to Obi-Wan some strange intuitions and "lucky" moments that aided their escape. Obi-Wan thinks he's suspicious of him, but Qui-Gon doesn't voice his real concerns yet. Meanwhile, Anakin gets some face time with Padme and starts trying to break down those social barriers between the new queen and the former slave. They're of the same age, and Padme becomes a little smitten with the rough young man she owes her life to.

Unfortunately, their ship was damaged during its escape from Naboo (and I don't mind introducing R2-D2 as a ship's maintenance droid here) and they need to lay low while they gets some parts. Fortunately, Obi-Wan knows somebody on the nearby Hutt-controlled world of Tatooine, and he leads them there.

On the desert planet, the fugitives hook up with Obi-Wan's friend, Owen Lars, and eventually learn that their best bet for escape from the planet is to participate in a dangerous but potentially rewarding pod race. Obi-Wan offers to pilot, but when Anakin volunteers, Qui-Gon backs him. It all goes as originally written, Anakin wins the race, they claim their winnings, and they buy the parts they need.

As in the original version, this is when Darth Maul makes his first appearance. The battle is brief but one-sided. Qui-Gon only barely manages to hold off the dark warrior while Obi-Wan gets the rest to safety before making his escape himself.

Act II pt 2
On Coruscant, Maul's master, Darth Sidious, voices again his displeasure of their escape. However, he's prepared to intercept them at the capital. Perhaps he can still work this to his advantage. He cuts communications and pulls back his hood to reveal his true face. He's showing some of the dark side deformities we'd come to expect since 'Empire Strikes Back', but with great concentration, he represses those features until he's finally Ian McDiarmid again.

When Amidala arrives on Coruscant, she goes to meet with Naboo's Senator Palpatine where it's revealed he's secretly the Sith master we'd just seen transformed. She calls on him to get her a meeting with the senate where she can notify them of the unjust invasion of her homeworld. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan take Anakin to the Jedi Council. They have news of an enemy warrior they believe to be trained in the ways of the Sith, but have good news in the discovery of Anakin. It's been a while since they've discovered anybody strong enough in the force to become a Jedi, and it's Qui-Gon's opinion that he's stronger in the force than anybody they know. This is news to Obi-Wan (who's not as perceptive as Qui-Gon, I suppose). Qui-Gon declares that Obi-Wan is ready for the trials of knighthood and that he wants to take Anakin as his new apprentice.

At the Senate, Amidala puts forth her case, but just as in the original film, the Trade Federation refutes her claim and the bureaucrats start weighing in. The only ally she has, it seems, is Bail Organa, the representative from Alderaan. His planet regrettably has no military force to offer her (they're a peaceful planet with no weapons), but promises to fight for her cause in the Senate. It doesn't hurt that this Bail Organa he's a handsome and charming man.

When reunited with her Jedi companions, she voices her frustration. Qui-Gon says they need to allow time for the Senate to work, but Obi-Wan remembers a time when Jedi were committed to protecting peace on all planets of the Republic. Anakin agrees, and has a plan for Naboo to earn its own freedom. Palpatine is skeptical and agrees with Qui-Gon to let the Senate do it's thing, but Amidala is determined. 

This, by the way, is also his first meeting with Anakin, and he quickly (but subtly) perceives his power as well as his obvious affection for Amidala and slight jealousy toward Organa. 

Act III
Organa doesn't have a fleet of ships, but he -does- have a fast corvette that might work to run the blockade around Naboo. With his help, the heroes smuggle themselves back to Naboo and into the capital. There, Anakin arranges a meeting between the queen and the heads of the underclass and slaves. They agree to rise up and overthrow the occupiers, but only if all class barriers are broken. Amidala agrees, and a rebellion (of sorts) is born of the planet's underclass and the queen's surviving security volunteers. If they can capture the viceroy, they can force him to deactivate the battle droids, ending the conflict and the occupation. The rebellion lays siege to the palace and engages the droid forces while Amidala and the Jedi sneak in to capture the viceroy. They all know the Naboo-ians can't hold out for long, but they only need to hold out long enough for the heroes to get the viceroy and shut down the opposition.

Unfortunately, there's a slight delay as the heroes arrive at the throne room to find it protected by Darth Maul. Anakin wants to help his master fight, but the two Jedi remind him the viceroy is the true target. They'll hold off the Sith while Anakin and the queen go after the leader.  

The initial stages of the saber battle are scattered, but when Obi-Wan sets aside his rambunctiousness and they start working as a team, they're able to corner Darth Maul. It culminates in a flurry of lightsaber strokes that sees Obi-Wan taking advantage of an opening Qui-Gon created to finish off Maul. It's only when the Sith falls that Obi-Wan realizes that opening came at the cost of Qui-Gon's life.

Meanwhile, Padme and Anakin have been fighting their way through the Viceroy's guards and/or using shortcuts known to the queen to reach the palace hangar. Unfortunately, they get pinned down and can only watch as the viceroy's shuttle lifts off. That is until Anakin senses Qui-Gon's death. That combines with a sudden awareness of all the Naboo-ians dying around them pushes him across a line that Qui-Gon had warned him about. He taps into his rising anger and is able to use the force to actually grab hold of the fleeing shuttle and ground it.

With the viceroy in their grasp, the battle droids get powered down. The war for Naboo is over.

In the end, the now-free and united planet celebrates, and Palpatine arrives to congratulate them on their victory in achieving what an impotent Senate couldn't do. Their actions have lead the Senate to select a new chancellor, and sympathy for Naboo has made him the top contender.

End credits.

So basically it's the Phantom Menace we saw in theaters, but with an older Anakin introduced a lot earlier in the story and 100% fewer Gungans.

Thunder...thunder...THUNDER...

With Matty Collector's line of Masters of the Universe action figures coming to a close, I'd started putting together a pitch at Maybe Machine Toys for a hypothetical line of action figures done in the same style as MotU, but focusing on another favorite property of the '80s: the Thundercats.

Then I came across this:

In fact, I DON'T need to present a hypothetical toyline because the fine craftsmen at Four Horsemen and Mattel are actually going to be starting up line of those very same figures. This is even better for me because, although I still regret missing out on the MotU line, I'm actually more of a fan of Thundercats, having enjoyed their cartoon more than I did He-Man's. Also, I'd heard some grumblings of collectors of the MotU line about some early fails in Mattycollector's online store and sale strategies. Getting in on the ground floor of a follow-on Thundercats line means that any of those bugs and errors should've been worked out long ago and I can expect some stress-free collecting.

It's pretty obvious what characters I'd like to see/get from this line. Of course the 'Cats themselves and the main villains like Mumm-Ra and the Mutants. But I'm also pretty stoked to see characters like Mandora the Evil-Chaser and Captain Cracker in toy form.

But instead of simply talking about what I assume is going to happen, I figured I'd crank up the Maybe Machine and push an idea that I -hope- they pick up on. While there's no shortage of Thundercats characters to mold into plastic, I'm dreaming of a line that fulfills earlier, unvoiced promises of a wider, linked universe.

Along with the Thundercats, the similarly-modeled Silverhawks and Tigersharks would make an awesome expanded universe of '80s Rankin & Bass cartoon goodness.

For the uninitiated, here's a quick rundown of the three titles:

Thundercats
Once nobles from the planet Thundera, the Thundercats fled the destruction of their homeworld to the mysterious and primitive world of Third Earth. They're followed there by a handful of the same Mutants who had destroyed Thundera, and also encounter the ancient evil from First Earth, Mumm-Ra.




Silverhawks

Four humans (and one alien) are turned into cybernetic space cops and assigned to a distant sector of space where they try to recapture a galaxy's worth of gangsters and bandits, all led by the monstrous crime boss Mon*Star. Oh, and Mon*Star flies around on an armored space squid. You'll want that toy.




Tigersharks

Five human researchers to the planet Water-O utilize an advanced biological conversion tank (the "fish tank") to turn into man/sea-creature hybrids and back again. Although originally arriving on the planet for scientific pursuits, they soon engage the villainous T-Ray and his pirate crew and decide to stay on Water-O to protect the native inhabitants.




Each show follows the same format of five animal-themed characters battling a rogues gallery of enemies. Although there were no official cross-overs or Easter eggs, I'd always imagined they were in a shared universe, although that assumption takes some squinting if you look at it too closely. The 'Hawks and 'Sharks are easy, as they both occur in their own corner of space at some unspecified time in the future when humanity has expanded into the stars. The Thundercats kind of muck it up a bit because their adventures take place on a planet that is very (very) heavily implied to be a future Earth after humanity is gone. Why did they leave? They never say. I'm assuming some great catastrophe between the eras of First Earth and Second Earth.

I'll have to re-watch some episodes of
Thundercats to see if their moon is split in half.

However, humans have made appearances on Third Earth. Mandora the Evil-Chaser, for example, hints at a wider universe where humanity exists on an interplanetary scale. If we allow that humanity left Earth following some great disaster, some unknown amount of time could have passed to allow for human society to evolve in space while Second Earth recovers and becomes the Third Earth the 'Cats land on. I'm pretty sure a character in Silverhawks references his own history in Chicago, but let's not overthink things...

Fun Fact: in the Masters of the Universe mythology, He-Man/Prince Adam's mother is an astronaut from Earth. I don't know the full story of how she got to Eternia, but if there's an historical connection between He-Man and Earth, that means the Masters of the Universe are ALSO part of this shared universe.

And while I'm fishing, I wonder if there are any other cartoon/toylines from the '80s which feature animal-themed characters and blend swords with lasers...

They rode giant bugs that you would wear like a glove
to work their legs. Literally the best toys ever.

Fantastic Four movie me-boot

I finally took the plunge and went to see the recent, Josh Trank-directed 'Fantastic Four' movie. It was pretty much just as bad as people have been saying, but I'm pretty sure that if he'd tried making a 'People Go to Another Dimension and Come Back Changed' movie rather than a 'Fantastic Four' movie, he would've nailed it.

Unfortunately, he DID try to make a Fantastic Four movie, and the results missed the mark by some margin. That seems to be happening a bit lately, and I don't think I'm being too much of a fanboi by wondering why studios are so intent on re-imagining characters like Peter Parker and Superman to be so distant from the source material that made them so popular in the first place.

But while I've been a huge fan of Superman and Spider-Man in the past, I was even more a fan of the Fantastic Four back in the day, and seeing the characters wasted like this really got my juices going. I've already talked a bit about the Fantastic Four comic that I would want to write, but here's my window to pitch the Fantastic Four movie I would make.

The idea here is that, faced with the failure of their latest attempt at an FF film, Fox called me up and offered me a chance to take over the franchise (likely done as a dick move to keep the rights from reverting back to Marvel, but whatever). So with the recent version barely out of theaters, and with an intent to hew closer to the tone that made the comic so popular, here's my pitch for Maybe Productions version of the Fantastic Four.

There is a caveat before I get started, though. It is my intent to stay true to the source material, and that means I have to accept that there are some elements that must be included in any FF movie, even if they were done (and done well) in previous attempts. Fer instance, There has to be an element of Ben Grimm learning to cope with his monstrous appearance while Reed struggles to find a cure. So even though the 2005 Tim Story film did a pretty good job of showing that, I won't ditch the idea for the sake of being different. I believe there's room for originality while still sticking to these timeless elements, and it's the writer's job to find new ways of exploring the same content.

Big picture-wise, there are two things that have to be in any Fantastic Four movie.

First, I think the entire world is in agreement that the Fantastic Four work best as a family. Despite the fantastical events shaping their lives, their personal quirks and interactions are so immediately recognizable that it keeps their adventures relatable even while they're battling world-eating spacemen.

And that's the second thing that needs to be in an FF film. Not Galactus per se, but a grand scope of unbelievable science and fantasy. If I could, I'd totally sign up Steven Moffat to write the script. You may be familiar with his work as some of the best Dr. Who stories in recent decades, and his grasp of grand scope vs. intimate moments is exactly what a good FF script calls for.

What the Fantastic Four movie DOESN'T need, though, is another origin story or another attempt at Dr. Doom. Certainly the former needs to be touched on to explain the premise, but if Reed and the crew aren't exhibiting superpowers by minute 15, I've missed my mark. As for Doom, he's one of Marveldom's greatest villains and trying to share time introducing him alongside the Fantastic Four and their supporting cast is doing him a great disfavor. He could certainly appear in a sequel where the main characters have already been introduced and more time can be spent on him, but he's Doom! Nothing short of his own solo film would do him justice before integrating him into a future FF film.

But that's for the future. Right now, we're dealing with my FF launch film, and with Dr. Doom out of the equation, I'm going to turn to the shape-shifting alien menace of the Skrulls. Beyond your basic alien invasion, the Skrulls offer a whole 'nuther level of story as they infiltrate the Earth and possibly have been for decades. It's the Red Scare on a cosmic scale. Leaning back on Dr. Who, if you're familiar with the Silents, you have an idea of what I'm going for.

So how does this play out? Glad you asked.

Act I

NORAD alarms are going off the hook as an object is detected entering Earth orbit and targeting upstate New York. Military forces move to intercept and manage to down it in an unpopulated area. To their surprise, it turns out to be a rocket ship holding four humans: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm and Susan and Johnny Storm, all who had disappeared after a failed rocket test in 1968.

Guess it wasn't such a failure after all, but an unexpected side effect of Reed's experimental warp drive kept them out of the action for 50 years. Spending that much time in a warp dimension, though, has altered the four crewmen. Their fantastic powers aren't completely apparent from the start (Ben, fer instance, is still human looking when he exits the capsule), but they start to develop when the military moves in to apprehend them. Confused by what has happened to them, the four agree to go with the authorities.

Meanwhile, it's become obvious to some that their attempt to delay Earth's interplanetary capabilities by sabotaging Dr. Richard's prototype all those years ago wasn't as successful as they'd hoped. The alien Skrulls are now faced with proof that Earth has functioning intergalactic space travel and the hidden menace must move up their timeline to absorb the Earth into their empire.

Act II pt 1
The military tries to debrief the Fantastic Four, but Reed is in control. His main concern is the changes that are overcoming his friends, especially the disfiguring nature of Ben's transformation. The whole program is derailed, though, when several members of the government team are revealed to be shape-shifting alien infiltrators who attempt to assassinate the quartet. Their now more fully-developed powers come to their aid, letting them defeat the aliens while exposing the hidden conspiracy.

No longer willing to stay as guests of the military, the quartet moves to Reed's old mothballed lab in New York. It exposes them more to public scrutiny, but it gives Reed access to equipment he needs.

Act II pt 2

The Four have an interesting time trying to adapt to the modern world, with family members long gone, technology far in advance of what they knew, and the media still trying to get a good look at the foursome and their fantastic powers. Reed makes some progress in analyzing the Skrull tissue, and the aliens seek to silence him. Because the assassins didn't work, the Skull empress turns to her greatest warrior, Kl'rt. This Super Skrull is not only able to take on their likenesses, but can mimic their powers as well. The fight is great, but ends with Reed making a breakthrough in unmasking the aliens. Using a device inspired by his efforts to reverse Ben's transformation, he is able to cancel the Super Skrull's transformation abilities, robbing him of his powers.

Act III
Reed is able to adapt his device to broadcast around the world, neutralizing Skrull shape shifting across the globe.  Everywhere, green-skilled aliens are unmasked and the infiltration is broken.  Unfortunately, this forces the Skrulls into Plan B, Forced Conversion. A cluster of Skrull destroyers arrive in orbit to conquer the Earth by brute force. With Reed's guidance, Earth forces are able to hold them off long enough for him to figure out a solution. Combining his device with Skrull technology taken from his foes, Reed can not only cancel out the aliens' abilities, but can trigger them remotely. It's a simple matter to transform all Skrulls in range into harmless creatures (like cows), ending the alien invasion and likely preventing any future return from the Skrulls.

The Earth is saved and the Fantastic Four are global heroes.

Cast
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic
Jamie Bamber

This is a guy who is not only smart enough to develop a functioning warp drive, but ballsy enough to fly it himself. In his earlier publishing days, he was a pretty manly scientist, alternating between developing portals to other dimensions while threatening to knock Ben's block off if he didn't stop moping. Jamie Bamber convinced me he could play an intelligent combat leader/astronaut in Battlestar Galactica, and with the added maturity he's gained since, I'm even more convinced he's my Reed.

In this movie, his intellect was miles beyond his 1960s contemporaries, but seeing what the 21st century has available to him has put him in Heaven. Rather than playing catch-up, he takes an immediate grasp on modern technology and starts projecting beyond it. It's not humbling enough that he's able to make a de-evolution ray, but that he does it with technology everyone else also has access to is what elevates his mind above all others'. 

His is a hard power to put on film, I think. The effects in the Tim Story film never looked less than goofy, and, as Chris Evans said, kind of gross. I much prefer the effect we saw in Elasti-Girl (from 'The Incredibles') or the sadly limited use we saw in the Josh Trank movie. These characters lash out and whip around rather than being all sinuous and snakey which I think works best for a live-action human.

Sue Storm/Invisible Girl
Brie Larson

Yes, I want to start Sue Storm as Invisible Girl (rather than Woman), because I want to see her doing the most growing up during the story. Looking back over the run of FF comics, I think Sue's best characterization is how she started off as this meek young girl with a mad crush on Reed and became a badass chick in the years to follow. 

I first noticed Brie Larson in '21 Jump Street' (but since learned she was in Scott Pilgrim which I also really liked). In Jump Street, she played the perfect blend of sensible yet rebellious and impressed with her ability to play a high school student but with an added layer of maturity. I think she can totally nail the arc between young girl and monster beater.

Of all the four, she's the one who feels the most impact from their time in stasis. Reed and Ben didn't have much family (aside from a time-traveling Nathaniel Richards and ol' Aunt Petunia who I just now decided should still be alive, the tough old bird). Sue, however, at least had a mother and father whom she misses dearly. I suppose Johnny would miss them too, but he's much better at hiding those feelings...

There's nothing too challenging about putting Invisible Girl's powers on the screen. FX artists have been making people invisible and generating force fields for generations. I don't want to see the the 'coruscating energy' playing over the surface like in recent attempts, but rather limiting it to a faint outline and highlights (like a bad chroma key effect) when we really need to see where she is or what's interacting with her force field. 

Ben Grimm/The Thing
Jared Keeso

Ben and Reed go way back, and a lot of ink could be spent on describing how these two completely different people became such good friends. Ultimately, Ben benefits from being a self-made man who dug himself out of a Brooklyn gang to become a top Army pilot and NASA astronaut applicant. He's so comfortable with himself, that he never felt threatened by Reed's intelligence and was one of the few people who didn't hesitate to call out the emperor on his new clothes whenever Reed started overthinking things or distancing himself from real life.  After the change, this same self-confidence goes a long way to helping Ben cope with his transformation.

Keeso first caught my eye as looking a lot like what I imagine Ben Grimm looks like, but his performance as the loyal partner cop in the Canadian police drama '19-2'  (although you probably saw him as the parachute jumpmaster in 'Godzilla') cemented him in my mind as the perfect counterpoint to Reed. To be honest, Keeso is about 10 years younger than Bamber, which would complicate their mutual college background if this weren't fantasy Hollywood and we couldn't just make Jamie Bamber look a little younger on film.

Since we don't spend any time with Ben before the accident, I'd like to have his transformation happen more slowly. He can emerge from the crash as handsome Jared Keeso, but the initial fight with the Army causes some notable swelling and discoloring. Using his strength seems to accelerate it until he's soon completely orange and lumpy by Act II and full on rocky by the final battle. This would call for an evolution of practical costuming turning to CG. Although initially horrified by his changes (as any true Ben Grimm story should have), he accepts it on condition that it makes him more able to protect those he cares about and with a promise from his best friend that he'll find a cure. One thing I'll make clear, though, is that he's not made out of rock. Sure his skin is a rocky texture, but it shouldn't look like a pile of rubble.

Johnny Storm/Human Torch
Callan McAuliffe

Johnny Storm is Sue's brash little brother and skirts the edge of rebellious as the story progresses. Give any teenager the high-flying powers of the Human Torch and see how conformist he becomes. Add in the lack of parental oversight and Johnny could easily tip into delinquency if it weren't for surrogate big brother Ben Grimm on hand to talk him back based on his own childhood experiences in a Brooklyn gang.

Beause I'm looking for a younger Johnny Storm, I went to Callan McAuliffe, a young actor who first impressed me in the drama 'Flipped.' He later turned up in 'I Am Number Four' where he got to have some action scenes, and I realized he'd do a fine job of showcasing the fine line Johnny walks over the course of this story as he learns the responsibility of his powers.

Credit where due, Josh Trank and his crew really nailed the Torch look. I like the darker core with the brighter, burning corona, and the way the throws his fireballs rather than jets fire from his hands adds some cool motion to the character.

Kl'rt/Super-Skrull
Richard Armitage

As a member of the Skrull warrior caste, Kl'rt is unhappy with all the hiding and creeping about his empire has been doing in the name of 'invasion.' He thinks they should just obliterate the humans in a grand show of power and take what they want. He is a loyal warrior, though, and must acquiesce to his Empress' wishes. He doesn't hesitate to express his feelings on the subject, though, and is actually quite happy with the turn of events that leads to him being unleashed on the FF.

You may or may not recognize Richard Armitage as the dwarf king Thorin Oakenshield in 'The Hobbit.' Don't let his performance there fool you, though, as Armitage is actually over 6' tall. Imagine all of Thorin's intensity but in his proper, towering frame. That's what the Fantastic Four face when the greatest of all Skrull warriors comes barreling down on them. Also, he's no stranger to working in prosthetics, so that's a plus.

Because we've already figured out all the special effects with each individual member of the Four, they can just copy them over to Kl'rt. The shape shifting is a new effect here, but it's been done so many times, I don't doubt it can be done with a truly organic appearance. 

Veranke/Skrull Empress
Jessica Chastain

To be honest, I just cherry-picked Veranke from the recent(-ish) 'Invasion' series at Marvel. There are other characters who can be used as the Emperor of the Skrull Empire, but I think a female leader would contrast well with Kl'rt and help distinguish them beyond all their Skrully prosthetics. In the comics, Veranke had a religious calling to conquer Earth, and I thought that lead a nice distinction to any other, more generic "conquest for the sake of conquest" invasion. 

Jessica Chastain dominated a group of SEALs in 'Zero Dark Thirty' and that same interaction will be called for here when she must keep her top warrior Kl'rt in line. Also, she apparently doesn't mind being bodycast, so the prosthetics should be no sweat.

Because her conquest is a religious calling, she truly wants to bring the humans into the fold and doesn't want to use forceful conquest. When humanity defies them, though, it's their own fault and she almost seems sad to order the decimation of Earth and enslavement of the humans. Almost.

Future Expansion
Franchises are all the rage and I think there's room to expand the FF universe. Altough I actually really like them in their own world, not combining with the Avengers or X-Men, there's still plenty of characters in their circle to warrant future films. 

Dr. Doom I mentioned earlier that Dr. Doom should get his own film, and I see one which maintains him as the despotic ruler of Latveria. This Doom would retain the mystic knowledge he inherited from his mother, but would combine it with his advanced scientific knowledge. These disciplines wouldn't be separate sciences, but rather fully integrated, like laser pentagrams or bio-alchemistry. 

In his solo film, Doom would be reunited with the love of his life, Valeria, only to learn that she was in league with a group of rebels causing troubles in his nation. Of course mention will have to be made of the fate of his mother, doomed to Hell and enslaved to the demon Mephisto, as I have plans to include him later and it'd be nice to tie them together. In fact, Mephisto could even get some lip service in the religion of the Skrulls, but it's not critical.

Fantastic Four II A Fantastic Four sequel would assuredly feature Galactus. Sure that was the premise behind the Tim Story sequel, but I've no qualms making him a humanoid and last survivor of the Big Bang. Most of the movie would feature all four of Galactus' heralds (Air Walker, Terrax, Fire Lord and Silver Surfer) whom the FF would be facing off against. The heralds would be quite effective in preparing the Earth for consumption, and it's only when the Fantastic Four are able to convert the Silver Surfer that the Big G is turned away. 

This movie would also feature the wedding of Reed and Sue as well as introducing Alicia Masters (who, in some versions of the story) is key in persuading the Silver Surfer to save humanity.

Silver Surfer
Spinning from FFII, the Surfer gets his own solo film. I'm avoiding the temptation of launching him into space and we instead will see him trapped on Earth and seeking redemption for the sins he committed while serving Galactus. The quest will be complicated by the involvement of Mephisto. While the demon may seem tonally mismatched to the star-soaring Surfer, they faced off quite often in the comics and their stories were always quite good. Hopefully introducing the devil in the Dr. Doom movie will help pave the way for his larger role here.

Fantastic Four III Finally, our Fantastic Four trilogy wraps up with the final showdown between the FF and Dr. Doom. With the birth of Reed and Sue's son, Doom decides he is the perfect prize. Undoubtedly bestowed with great power, Doom seeks to claim him for his own purposes, not the least of which would be the conquest of Earth. At least part of this story should include Doom succeeding in using little Franklin Richards' powers to alter reality and make him emperor so the FF can see that the world would actually be as peaceful and ordered as Latveria under his rule. The price would be too high, though, but it would add some debate to the defeat of this world conqueror.

So that's at least five films in my Fantastic Four franchise. Hopefully that will see us through the 10 years it usually takes before somebody decides it's time to reboot the franchise again.