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How much is too much?

Can a large cast of characters be developed fully within two hours?

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By Tiberius - 2/9/2011
Too may characters within too little time? Stories like the Avengers, X-men, Justice League, Green Lantern Corp.

I guess when I say too many characters, that's not really what I mean. I'm talking about properly developing such a large cast of characters within two hours, or the mistake of spending slightly more of their time on the wrong people. Im sure that writers and directors already know this, but are sort of hand-tied by the nature of the comic books and the stories they set out to tell.

Off the top of my head I can think of comic book movies that both failed and succeeded with the problem of pacing and character development.

How much is too much?









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15 Comments
Checkmate - 2/9/2011, 10:25 PM
That's why I believe TV is the best medium to bring comics to life.
IronicMan - 2/9/2011, 10:37 PM
69. That's too much.
Tiberius - 2/9/2011, 10:53 PM
@ Dane... Totally agree, I'd like to see a comic book story on HBO. I really enjoyed AMC's adaptation of the Walking Dead.
Checkmate - 2/9/2011, 10:58 PM
^Me too, it's perfect, although the season was too short.
The only thing I wouldn't like about on having a show on HBO is that I wouldn't be able to watch it! I'd have to wait for the DVD!
Curmudgeon - 2/10/2011, 12:21 AM
It's all in how you use them.

A well written movie can pull off having a dozen important characters in a 90 minute film. *cough*Each Toy Story*cough*

Whereas a more poorly conceived film can suffer for not being to fit much fewer pieces together over a 2-hour film. *coughSpider-Man 3*cough*

While some devil-may-care filmmakers will just give a buttload of characters some fricking room to breath over the course of a 3-hour film *cough*Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings*cough*

Sorry... Got a cold.
Orphix - 2/10/2011, 2:01 AM
Everyone who has commented so far is absolutely right.

Dane @ TV is probably the best medium - the only way to develop such a large universe is over many hours, episodicaly like comics usually are. Also it allows for change in a character to be incremental and diliberate. Movies, unfortunately, need a complete self contained arc.

BUT the most important thing is the story you are trying to tell. If you know what the main narrative is and the characters are serving that story then you haven't really done anything wrong.

I think X-men 2 is a great example of this. It had a whole host of characters BUT they all had their part to play. Did some of them get shafted in terms of sceen time? Yes! (sorry Cyclops) But did it make sense and add too the story? Definitely.

Cyclops fans should really be livid with X-men 3 in which the second most important character of the 'phoenix saga' was killed off about a quarter of the way into the film.
LEEE777 - 2/10/2011, 9:03 AM
TheGODDAMNSUPERGUY @ Was you dropped on your head when you was born???

Geezuz! : D

Sweet @ TIB and to start off with is SUPES, BATS, GL, AQUA, WW and maybe J'ONN J'ONZZ!

After that, thats what SEQUELS are for!!!

Cool pics btw... you make them yourself?!?

BIG THUMBS!
LEEE777 - 2/10/2011, 9:04 AM
Oh and THE FLASH!!!

Opps.
Tiberius - 2/10/2011, 9:31 AM
Thanks LEEE777, It was just a bunch of cut and past on photoshop. But it was fun to make.
Tiberius - 2/10/2011, 9:50 AM
This is your JLA team pic.

Curmudgeon - 2/10/2011, 10:04 AM
I... I can't look at Martian Manhunter the same way anymore. That costume is just not gonna translate well if they do a movie about him.

It looks like he walked straight out of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" or something.

He is... the Martian Manhumper!
Tiberius - 2/10/2011, 10:34 AM
This one is for super guy

Tiberius - 2/10/2011, 10:55 AM
Curmudgeon @ I dont know. I think Martian Manhunter would be cool in a movie. They just need to change it up a bit. Something like this.

Tiberius - 2/10/2011, 10:59 AM
Or this.

Curmudgeon - 2/10/2011, 2:29 PM
Yeah, something where the guy is fully clothed would definitely work.

The "straps and panties" look on J'onz is more ridiculous looking than the 60's-era pantless Robin.

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