The performance of the upcoming Green Lantern movie – based on one of DC Comics’ second-tier characters – will certainly be closely watched by Warner Bros., who will likely use the film’s box office to judge whether or not it will move forward on several other non-Batman, non-Superman movies. Warner Bros. owns the stable of DC characters, but hasn’t had the same level of success with translating the characters to film as Marvel Comics has – heck, NBC even decided against picking up the pilot for Wonder Woman, who is among DC’s most famous characters. If Green Lantern does big business, several DC superhero films in the works will surely get the green light.
Along with potential films based on The Flash and Shazam/Captain Marvel, Bleeding Cool reveals that Warner Bros. is also looking at a movie based on Hawkman. Hawkman – who like Green Lantern and Flash, debuted in 1940 – has had several incarnations throughout his 70 year history, perhaps the most famous being Carter Hall, an archaeologist who is the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian prince and fashions an elaborate Hawk disguise out of the mysterious alien “Nth” metal, which allows the user to fly. Hall is soon reunited with Shiera Sanders, the reincarnation of his ancient Egyptian love, who eventually adopts a similar costume as Hawkgirl. Probably the best thing about Hawkman is that he usually carried a huge mace and knocks the crap out of criminals with little regard for their medical bills.
This being comics, of course, Hawkman’s history has been revamped and rebooted so many times that for much of the 1990s the character was considered “radioactive” and was killed off. This was until a highly-regarded reboot by Green Lantern/Flash writer Geoff Johns brought Hawkman back to life and made the character somewhat less confusing.
The plan for Warner Bros. is to apparently not stray far from Hawkman’s Golden Age origins, which is wise. Here are the preliminary plot details:
“Part INDIANA JONES/DA VINCI CODE, part GHOST tentpole about the fictional superhero that appears in D.C. Comic books. He used archaic weaponry and large, artificial wings attached to a harness made of the Nth metal that allows flight. Most incarnations of Hawkman work closely with a partner/romantic interest named Hawkgirl or Hawkwoman in his fight against supervillains. Based on the DC comic.”
Playing up the Indiana Jones angle could help set this film apart from typical comic book adaptations, giving it a more “adventure matinee” feel that a lot of super-serious superhero films have sorely lacked. After all, take one look at the opening scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark and you understand who Indiana Jones is – no need for an elaborate backstory. If Warner Bros. can pull off the same with Hawkman, we have a potential winner at the box office, even for a second-tier character.
But that’s just my take on it. What about you – any interest in seeing a Hawkman film? Tell us the answer to that question in the comments below!
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