Supermax Alive; Green Arrow Super Max Dying

Sony is moving forward with the Rouse-Nelson spec script about a prison guard's efforts to stem a riot at a supernatural prison.

Bad news for CBM fans today: Sony Pictures and Columbia are moving forward with their production of Supermax by screenwriters Mitch Rouse and Christopher Nelson. Why is that bad news? Because now it's highly unlikely that the Green Arrow Super Max script will ever see the light of day. Latino Review has been out in front of this story from the get-go, and today they updated their news to include this new synopisis:

"The spec is an action horror tale set in a maximum-security prison for the supernatural. The story centers on a skilled prison guard who is re-assigned to Supermax. After a riot erupts, he must join forces with one of the prison's monstrous inmates in order to survive and fight his way out."

CBM fans will remember the original story concept that David Goyer dropped on Wizard Magazine:

"He’s Green Arrow for the first 10 minutes of the movie, and then he’s arrested and his secret identity is revealed. They shave his goatee and they take his costume and send him to prison for life, and he has to escape. It’s like ‘Alcatraz,’ and he has to team up with, in some cases, some of the very same villains he is responsible for incarcerating in order to get out and clear his name. Of course, tons of people try to kill him while he’s in there. We’ve populated the prison with all sorts of B and C villains from the DC Universe. For the fans, there will be all sorts of characters the hardcore comic book junkies will know, but they’re all going to be there under their human names and no one is wearing a costume, but there will be a lot of characters with powers and things like that."

Brent Sprecher
9/30/2009
Latino Review

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68 Comments

	Crap! Bijous - 9/29/2009, 12:02 PM
	They are wrong for this, they stole the story. SHHH - 9/29/2009, 12:10 PM
	Happens all the time in Hollywood. And I disagree that this means that Goyer's take on GA won't get made. (I'm not so crazy about the idea anyway.) How many times have we seen the same concepts for action flicks and comedies come out in the same year? What's funny is how everyone plays dumb and pretends that they weren't stealing from each other when they made 'Dante's Peak' and 'Volcano' or 'Heist' and 'The Score'. Velox - 9/29/2009, 12:17 PM
	Don't forget Armageddon and Deep Impact! This movie will suck. Look for John Cena to nab this role. BillyBlack - 9/29/2009, 12:24 PM
	tsk!tsk! tsk! shame...shame... KeepItReal - 9/29/2009, 12:24 PM
	@Velox: True, but unlikely. And, we can't forget The Abyss and Deep Star Six came out the same year as one another! Brent Sprecher - 9/29/2009, 12:27 PM
	This was mentioned before, but Goyer's idea was basically a rip-off of an awesome Daredevil storyline where Murdock is outed, sent to prison and escapes with the help of Kingpin and the Punisher. Still would have liked to see Green Arrow in this movie though... Bijous - 9/29/2009, 12:30 PM
	No...I agree that it likely won't see the light of day, I'm just saying that if the studio really wanted to get behind it they would still make it. I expect it will fall apart for a combination of reasons, as I'm old enough to remember the 20 year period of time that Spider-man was in limbo and fell apart time and time again. Did you know that at one point under Cannon films it had a working title of 'Spider-man in Outer Space' ? I actually saw a mock-up of a movie poster for that! Velox - 9/29/2009, 12:33 PM
	@Velox: GTFOH! I want to see that! Post it! Yeah, there were also the failed attempts at a Superman relaunch. Kevin Smith tells a funny story about how the director of Wild Wild West made him read his script to him like he was a child, and then told Smith he needed to cram a giant robotic spider into the movie (which he later put in Wild Wild West). Don't even get me started about Nic Cage in a Tim Burton Superman, which almost happend (but I don't think that video that was on here last week was real; it looked like Cage's head on an action figure). Bijous - 9/29/2009, 12:36 PM
	It sounds like it could've been good, DC should make more movies like Watchmen focusing not a character so much but a particular graphic novel. ClintEastwood - 9/29/2009, 12:38 PM
	Oh fart! Either way. Shaman - 9/29/2009, 12:40 PM
	BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! [frick]ing SONY!!! SUPER MAX is a must!! GREEN ARROW all the way!!! JON HAMM of course! ; D SONY can stick their movie where the Sun don't shine! Anyway even IF SONY makes SUPERMAX, DC's SUPER MAX will be just NAME-CHANGED! Coz its far more Superior to SONYS! ; ) LEEE777 - 9/29/2009, 12:44 PM
	ARMAGGEDDON & DEEP IMPACT came out the same year, this don't change nothing. Damn, SONY could've atleast done it with SPIDEY Villains, lame lol. I really don't know why they don't do THE VAULT instead and leave SUPER MAX alone! LEEE777 - 9/29/2009, 12:47 PM
	@Bijous: I wish I had it! A web search turned up nothing, but this was pre-internet days, around 1987 or so when I saw it. I'm guessing it was never actually intended to see production but had something to do with the legal battles that were going on at the time. And yeah, you're talking about Smith's story of his meeting with Jon Peters about the Superman Lives script. Smith just agreed to all of Peters insane restrictions, because after all...it's F'n Superman! He had Superman fighting a polar bear and all kinds of stupid stuff. I have that script somewhere around here, but it's online at http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/superman-lives-script.html. Enjoy! Velox - 9/29/2009, 12:52 PM
	Ever since Nolan took over the Bat-franchise, I've had the idea of Green Arrow being a spin-off of that. The character has basically been retconned into being a Batman wannabe, but with the whole hippie-liberal activism angle, and I thought the same tone, or maybe a slightly lighter one, could work well for a GA project. (And that "wannabe" comment isn't a knock on GA, it's just an observation. Don't get your panties in a wad.) Velox - 9/29/2009, 12:58 PM
	Who's panties lol??? LEEE777 - 9/29/2009, 1:08 PM
	Damn, apart from AVENGERS, GREEN LANTERN, CAP A an maybe in the far future JLA. This GREEN ARROW project was one of the most of the superhero movies i was looking forward too!! All those Supervillain's in one place, priceless! It would've been one of the most ORIGINAL superhero movies ever made! They better [frick]ing make it, after promising all these years, just change the name, easy!! End of Rant lol.... LEEE777 - 9/29/2009, 1:12 PM
	godd@mn Leee - you sure do wink a lot in your posts. Are you hitting on the homies here? Stop winking - it's freaking me out man. As for this news? Who cares - Green Arrow sucks - this was a better idea for a graphic novel - not a movie. I didn't think it would ever get made anyways - it would have been too original for Hollywood to handle - they would have exploded with fear. douches. Keven - 9/29/2009, 1:14 PM
	Josh Holloway for GA! he looks more like him anyway! Jon Hamm for Batman!!!! NightAvenger4 - 9/29/2009, 1:40 PM
	NightAvenger4- Hey there, woah now, settle down... Did you just say Jon Hamm for Batman??? That's actually... GENIUS!!! Adrian Pasdar will always be my fave but DAMN!!! Hamm's now my second choice. Good job buddy! Oh and just for you: Josh Holloway as Green Arrow!!! Shaman - 9/29/2009, 1:50 PM
	@shaman- yes! adrian pasdar for batman! ive been saying that forever ( not on this sit cuz of all the heroes haters though) green arrow needs his own movie for sure. by far the best character in the dcu comicboyV1 - 9/29/2009, 2:08 PM
	I'd cast Hamm as Superman, but only if it was a period piece set in 1940. He could totally pull off the big suits and hats as Clark Kent. But since that'll never happen in a million years, it's a moot point. And he could be a good Batman too, but I don't see him as Green Arrow. Ollie needs to be real charming guy, with a really casual attitude, and that spells Matthew McConaughey in my book. Like a lot of other people, I first thought of it after seeing 'Reign of Fire', but I still think it's the best big-name choice out there. Besides, McConnaughey needs a franchise. He ain't exactly hitting them out of the park lately. Velox - 9/29/2009, 2:14 PM
	noooooooooooo! mcconaughey needs to stay as far away from any cbm. let alone green arrow! i think a no name should don the bow and arrow in true green arrow fashion! give the little guy a chance comicboyV1 - 9/29/2009, 2:20 PM
	LEEE...wink on my friend..i love how Keven thinks there all for him...there mine KEVBABY :P Bijous is right this was a rip off anyway, there just trying hard to make a rather dull character interesting :P teabag - 9/29/2009, 2:25 PM
	Well, the guy CAN act. He just chooses too many easy projects. He's made the same damn movie about ten times now, but if you look at some of his side projects like 'Thirteen Conversations About One Thing' or 'Two for The Money' (Where he held his own against Pacino) you'll see that he's a talented guy when he tries. But you may be right, because if he did choose a CBM project, or it chose him, I'm not so sure he'd really understand what he was doing, you know? There's a mythology there that needs to be attended to, let alone what the fans want, and I get the feeling he's not really very bright. Velox - 9/29/2009, 2:27 PM
	Matt is ok...i like actors that dont take themselves too seriously........saying that i cant take any GA movie seriously cus of how camp the character is :P teabag - 9/29/2009, 2:30 PM
	lol exactly man besides like i said. if you really wanna stay true to the character of ollie, give it to the little guy. the one trying to make a career.@ teabag dude i usually agree with you but are you calling green arrow a dull character? no way sir he's like batman ( dont get me wrong i like bats) but with out all the emo comicboyV1 - 9/29/2009, 2:32 PM
	Comicboy@"he's like batman ( dont get me wrong i like bats) but with out all the emo " LMAO Yeah guess its my Marvel roots coming through....Hawkeye till i die lol :P teabag - 9/29/2009, 2:34 PM
	lol have you ever read the avengers vs justice league comic? the hawkeye/ green arrow meeting in that is excellent. i think it might help your perspective of ga. comicboyV1 - 9/29/2009, 2:37 PM
	Oh please, don't just pick the worst example you can find and use that as an example, teabag. (Go out and buy a copy of the TPB 'Quiver'.) First of all, he's the only superhero that has an activist streak. And it's not just some window dressing to make him different than Batman. Denny O'Neil made that element of his character part of the canon, and when it's handled correctly, by someone like Kevin Smith, he's way more interesting than your average super-powered character. And while they never really say in the books, you get the impression that he's a few years older than the guys he runs around with. An aging dude trying to hang onto his youth by running around with younger women. (Gee, I wonder why I relate to THAT.) Velox - 9/29/2009, 2:37 PM
	i was suggesting that for the hawkeye aspect. as far as good ga stuff goes. if you hate campy go pick up the long bow hunter series. doesn't go to deep into the political side of the character, but its the most real approach Ive seen. comicboyV1 - 9/29/2009, 2:41 PM
	KEV!!! ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; ) ; D LEEE777 - 9/29/2009, 2:45 PM
	The Longbow Hunters was a well written series. I haven't revisited it since it came out though. Something about the way Grell draws feet gives me the creeps. One of my many phobias...LOL Velox - 9/29/2009, 2:50 PM
	lol yeah the art wasn't great but when its a good enough story the art just falls in place.i will have to look at my copy to see these weird feet. guess i never paid attention to them. i did like quiver as well. green arrow year one is a pretty recent example of a good one comicboyV1 - 9/29/2009, 2:54 PM
	That's what I'm saying! He really is a good character, and I think he deserves a good film treatment at least as much as The Green Hornet. And I'm just speculating about this, but bet there's no way that film would have been greened if they hadn't gotten a name like Rogen attached. They learned from 'The Phantom' and 'The Spirit' that not too many folks care about these old pulp characters, but they know for a fact that Seth Rogen can put asses in the seats. Velox - 9/29/2009, 3:11 PM
	Damn. Bandrews1 - 9/29/2009, 3:30 PM
	I used to think GA sucked, until I realized he didn't! Some great stories out there. Granted, most do involve him teaming up with other characters but I really like the sound of his Supermax movie, hope it happens. The other one could also be could I guess, just need more info. Rorschach01 - 9/29/2009, 3:32 PM
	This is such horse shit... GA all the way thegreek - 9/29/2009, 4:01 PM
	thanks for the video Luffy Capri. it was surprising to see a random video inserted into one of your posts. how delighted we all are to be graced by another of your videos. god I hate everything. Keven - 9/29/2009, 4:06 PM
	Come on! DC, show !@#$! backbone! The synopsis works as a Green Arrow flick! Fight for it! THEN and only THEN hand it over to anyone else to make. Director, writer, cast, etc. Goyer knows what he's talking about (he kind of worked on Batman Begins and The Dark Knight). Why not take another look at his ideas? Are they afraid of this turning into Tim Burton's so-called 'Superman' film? Wesley Colvin - 9/29/2009, 4:07 PM
	So lemme get this straight. We could've had a movie in which Green Arrow, a hero who uses multitudes of various trick arrows made for getting out of and fighting different enemies, situations, and conditions, would have to fight his way through bunches of different supervillains, all taking place in a HUGE maximum security prison that is basically trying to freakin eat him... And all we get is a movie adaptation of The Suffering game? Bull. Shit. God damn it, this is why we can't have nice things!!! IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A MOVIE FOR THE SUFFERING, JUST CALL IT "THE SUFFERING"!!! YOU'RE MAKING US SUFFER ENOUGH BY TEASING US LIKE THIS! Well, if it does work out, I'm nominating Kiefer Sutherland as Green Arrow, because he can kick ass and take names despite his age. MovieTheaterLad - 9/29/2009, 4:29 PM
	A Whole Lot of Y A W N. Skyh00k - 9/29/2009, 4:55 PM
	The Green Arrow story line sounds better.......... HeckYeah - 9/29/2009, 5:02 PM
	:(:(:(:( waaaaah!!! woo hoo withdrawn jallanr - 9/29/2009, 5:23 PM
	sounds like DC does Prison Break... just an excuse to make a comicbook movie. Surely they couldn't make that movie before doing origins for all the characters first... ;) samd577 - 9/29/2009, 5:40 PM
	I was really liking the idea of a SuperMax movie. I hope it still moves forward despite this new movie. Josh Holloway for Green Arrow. InTylerWeTrust82 - 9/29/2009, 5:53 PM
	@ Movietheaterlad - LMAO ... This is why we can't have nice things... Just classic .... thegreek - 9/29/2009, 6:07 PM
	Shaman-Thanks man,they both make so much sense! Jon Hamm for Batman! You should make a second Batman sketch! Jim Caveziel for Superman! NightAvenger4 - 9/29/2009, 7:15 PM
	Thank god the Goyer story isn't being made. I can think of dozens of different ways to introduce Green Arrow to the public other than "shaving his goatee (?) and taking his costume". Is that something they do to you when they send you to prison? Shave your goatee? So it's the first Green Arrow movie ever, and in the first 10 minutes, he's no longer Green Arrow. Again, thank god it's gone. gtrman - 9/29/2009, 8:10 PM
	Sorry, but i think thats a great way to introduce GA. How many times have we seen the same type of origin story with these movies? Arrow is on an island, he is forced to learn to use a bow, he becomes a champion of justice with that very bow...yaaaaaaaaaaawn. Been there, done that. They should maybe have him in costume for longer than 10 mins, but it would be a very brave and original move to strip him of it and fling him in that prison at about the half hour mark. Rorschach01 - 9/29/2009, 8:22 PM
	green arrow makes me think of robin hood. I like Robin hood better. he's so so, not very special imho. KeepItReal - 9/29/2009, 9:16 PM
	Good. Shadowelfz - 9/29/2009, 10:25 PM
	I can't agree with you this time Ror, and I usually find myself siding with your opinions, but not here. First, lets look at who the Green Arrow is (keeping in mind I was reading GA/GL team-ups in the 70's when Neal Adams was drawing it)... He's a human-rights/environmental activist, having no super-powers, only his wit, street-smarts, and a ton of money (as in billionaire, like Bruce Wayne) only to lose it all and come face to face with the people of the street, and an understanding that he's no better than anyone else. This is where his championing of the common man begins. Those older books were extremely socially conscious and GA himself became very liberal at about that time. This is also about the time he went from being a "now and then" super hero to being a lot more popular. Especially when they teamed him up with (as he was back then) the upright, law and order man Green Lantern. Their opposite views on most things made for ground breaking stories. What Goyer is proposing is to ignore all of this...ALL of it, and simply make it a "break out of jail" movie. I've seen a lot of those, this would be no different. Honestly, what penal system forces you to shave your goatee off? Top that off with "He's Green Arrow for about 10 minutes" and it really no longer matters WHO is in prison. It could be Green Arrow without his bow, or Green Lantern without his ring, or Batman without his utility belt...or Tim Robbins trying to get out of Shawshank, or Steve McQueen getting off of Devil's Island, and on and on. I love Green Arrow because he's Green Arrow, not Oliver Queen. He's a good alter ego, but the reality of it is, were the book called Ollie and it was all about him and his adventures in the hood getting tough with crooked landlords, no one would read it. throw him in the archers costume and add the bow and trick arrows, and I'm in like Flynn. Much better. Goyer is proposing a prison breakout film and completely stripping that from us, the entire reason a comic book fan would see it. I see it as nothing short of a ploy to get guys like us to go see a film we might not see simply because for 10 minutes we get to see s super hero...for 10 minutes. And no, I don't think leaving him as GA for another 20 minutes is going to mean much. If it's an origin story, where's the origin? Take a look and what Marvel is doing. It's good stuff and I think DC could take a lesson here. I think if they made it an origin movie with social relevance and left GA as a fighter of the working class, there's a better story to be told. Prison break? Feh. Seen it, been there, done that. Boring. Just my opinion. gtrman - 9/30/2009, 12:10 AM
	This sounds absolute shite. True fact. hush - 9/30/2009, 12:46 AM
	Comicboy@ i have the special edition collection of JLA v Avengers and i stil dont like the GA character....somethings people just differ on:) teabag - 9/30/2009, 5:26 AM
	gtrman- I agree with every damn word you just said!!! Ror- It would suck if it was simply an origin movie like we've seen a thousand of them, just as much as it would suck if Supermax was done the same way as the thousands of prison break films we've seen. Green Arrow is not a well known character but still has a huge potential. They just need a genius penning and directing it either way. Unfortunitely, they don't grow on trees in Hollywood. I personnaly feel that Supermax would be a better sequel. comicboyV1- Just for you: NightAvenger4- Jim is also my choice for Superman! I think he'd make a great mature and experienced Superman. Cavil would be good for a reboot though. And i don't sketch two actors for the same role unless the one i initially drew gets too old or dies. Sorry buddy ;) Shaman - 9/30/2009, 6:31 AM
	Of course you fell that Supermax would be a better sequel, thats because the formula has sunk in! [frick] the formula i say. This is something we have not seen in a super hero movie before. Sure there are prison break movie, but never with super villains as the prisoners! That right there is enough of a selling point to me. If your worried about too little exposure of GA's origin and stuff well thats very simple..flashbacks! I just think its cool that someone is trying to think outside the box for once. If there is one thing i always disliked about these movies its the similarities of the origin stories and the subsequent acceptance of their responsibilities, surely i cant be the only one bored of the formula? Rorschach01 - 9/30/2009, 6:44 AM
	I think a Green Arrow movie should work like Batman: Year One. It shouldn't follow the exact same story, but the film should start the same. Skip over the whole island situation and have him get off a plane at the beginning of the film, having him go straight into establishing himself as Green Arrow. Maybe he can mention his time on the island in a brief story he's tellin' some chick or somethin'. NO FLASH BACKS! AxlKomix - 9/30/2009, 7:07 AM
	I don't mean flashbacks as in, we see him thinking about his past and shit, i mean just non linear story telling. Mix it up a la Pulp Fiction or something, just try something DIFFERENT! Rorschach01 - 9/30/2009, 7:23 AM
	This news actually makes me very happy. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Green Arrow needs an origin movie featuring his great supporting cast from the comics. MatchesMalone - 9/30/2009, 8:19 AM
	Im not bothered either way but i can see both sides....you need him to actualy be Green Arrow to start interest and a franchise but i also agree with Ror that something differant would be cool :P teabag - 9/30/2009, 8:56 AM
	Remember the Fox Robin Hood... "Robin Hood and Little John Running through the forest Oweda lalee Oweda lalle eh..."...lol I still say Green Arrow story line would be better... HeckYeah - 9/30/2009, 9:47 AM
	Ror- I'm all up for something "different". AS LONG AS, we get to have a firm grasp on the character's origins in it. So far, they left that info out of their plan. So naturally until they say it will be an origin story just thought out of the box, i'll be against it as this character's first film. If Goyer comes out tomorow sayin' it is an origin film, i won't have a problem with Supermax being GA's first. And HOPEFULLY it's not an "A to Z" prison film. If we get only 10 minutes of hero action in the opening, it WILL suck. Maybe he could suit up and go after who ever framed him after escaping or somethin'. That would tie it up nicely. Shaman - 9/30/2009, 10:31 AM
	im am 100% wit u ror woo hoo! jallanr - 9/30/2009, 12:46 PM
	@ velox well...for a time spiderman had the captain universe power and was dubbed "cosmic spiderman". so i guess its not TOO farfetched...who am i kidding, that would have sucked CorndogBurglar - 9/30/2009, 8:10 PM
	To me, it's impossible to give him a "true beginnings" story while abandoning the heart of who the character really is. In a prison-breakout kind of setting, you get no character development, no depth or insight into his motivations or reason for doing what he does, only this guy that gets arrested for being who he is and thrown into a maximum security facility... Which while I'm at it, I need to point out the absolute silliness of the idea. Green Arrow is a super hero only in the notion that he performs heroic acts. He has no powers. If you take away the tools that help him in his work (the bow and arrows), you simply make him an ordinary man with a streak of righteousness. Am I to believe the powers that be would incarcerate him in a facility filled with super-villains? Powered people? Doesn't sound too fair to me. If it's not a prison filled with super-powered people, then there's nothing super about them, they are simply assholes that got incarcerated. We would have nothing but a normal guy, in a supermax prison with normal people...A typical prison breakout movie. There is so much more to GA than this. He deserves a better movie treatment than that. I'm glad this one is dead. Ror, if you want to see something different, why not take him back to his roots, social activism and fighting for the working guy, busting drug-runners and trying to keep kids in school and off the streets. THAT would be different for a super hero movie. gtrman - 9/30/2009, 8:39 PM
	Good call, gtrman ;) Shaman - 10/1/2009, 8:11 AM
	josh hollaway is the man raimdogg - 10/3/2009, 1:06 AM

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