DBZ Live action movie

mictaliano · Post by **mictaliano** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:03 am

Per Anime Insider, "Fox secured the rights in 2002 to make a live action movie. With a finished product in 2006. Fox is still promoting script, having placed ads in Hollywood industry trade magazines seeking a director and decribing film as follows: "When a platoon of warriors seek the 7 Dragonballs to call a beast to destroy Earth, a teenage underdog must rise to the occasion to defend his world while coming to grips w/ the fact that a mythical evil resides in him." There is no offical announcements.

SpaceKappa · Post by **SpaceKappa** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:06 am

That is probably the stupidest idea for a script ever.

Well, almost. Second to Napoleon Dynamite, I guess.

I mean, I know I asked for an original story, but in a VIDEO GAME! This is just a disaster waiting to happen.

Dayspring · Post by **Dayspring** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:40 am

Mizugi wrote:This is just a disaster waiting to happen.

And waiting and waiting and waiting... It's supposed to be finished this year and nobody's picked up the script yet.

Besides: how far off from other live-action comic book movies does it sound? Seems like a typical DB story, except Goku knows he's got Oozaru in him.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:17 am

That sounds like quite the deviation of the original DBZ personally. Definitely not the DBZ I know, though maybe it's just the way I'm taking the wording.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:46 am

If they're warriors..why would they waste time trying to ask Shenlong to destroy Earth? Wouldn't it make more sense to destroy it, themselves? Absolutely ridiculous and I highly doubt it's even official since no word has been officially made by anyone, not even FUNimation.

Conan the SSJ · Post by **Conan the SSJ** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:25 am

Next thing you know, Goku is gonna be wearing black cloths on a mission to destroy Earth.

Xyex · Post by **Xyex** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:39 am

Tsukento wrote:If they're warriors..why would they waste time trying to ask Shenlong to destroy Earth? Wouldn't it make more sense to destroy it, themselves? Absolutely ridiculous and I highly doubt it's even official since no word has been officially made by anyone, not even FUNimation.

It says they're warriors, not that their all powerful, world destroying, warriors. That'd be like asking why Pilaf didn't just go out and take over the world himself since he's got warriors. Well, alright, two lackies that aren't very good, but still. It's the same idea as the Red Ribbon Army. Goku and the others figured they wanted the DBs to conquer the world, and yet they were an ARMY. So obviously, being a group of warriors isn't always enough. On top of this, the 'Beast' could easily be some ancient mythological creature that they want to release. Like Hildegarn from movie 13.

And I wouldn't doubt the officalality of it due to lack of announcements. You don't hear about this stuff until it's a done deal. They're not going to announce the movie offically until they have it in the works and an idea of when it'll be coming out. Personally, I think it could be pretty good. Definately better than the first script I heard they had. What is this anyway, the third script they've had?

Eclipse · Post by **Eclipse** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:53 am

If they're referring to Goku as 'the teenage underdog', why are they calling it Dragon Ball Z?! I swear, I always hate those....

But yeah....doesn't sound so good.....I'd be suprised if the director knew what Dragon Ball was and wasn't following the script written for him..

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:13 pm

Until I see a preview in theatres or see something incredibly official looking, I'll consider it complete bull.

I won't even comment on the supposed "story".

Kula · Post by **Kula** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:18 pm

I've always believed that DBZ would make an excellent series of films, if done properly by a decent director, writers and design team. Just look at what Peter Jackson did for the Lord Of The Rings.

If this 'teenage underdog' story turns out to be true i'll be pretty disappointed. Obviously, certain changes would have to be made, so that it works as a movie, but a complete changing of the story like this is unnecessary. If I had the money and the rights to this movie, i'd like to think that I could do it justice.

DBZ MAN · Post by **DBZ MAN** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:42 pm

Same here but know one believes anyone if they have no position on it. If someone made a topic about how they would direct, score and make the movie I would gladly put my 2 cents in but I won't make the topic in case it seems silly.

Post by **desirecampbell** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:44 pm

I leave better scripts in tigtly coiled piles on the lawn.

I'm usually pretty strict on changing an original story (sometimes the changes make it better, Superman '86) but "a platoon of warriors seek the 7 Dragonballs to call a beast to destroy Earth, a teenage underdog must rise to the occasion to defend his world while coming to grips w/ the fact that a mythical evil resides in him" sounds more like Naruto than DragonBallZ, and more like Gili than a real movie.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:50 pm

Kula wrote:I've always believed that DBZ would make an excellent series of films, if done properly by a decent director, writers and design team. Just look at what Peter Jackson did for the Lord Of The Rings.

Only one problem with that. I can garuantee that a director as capable and talented as Peter Jackson, won't be hired on to do a DBZ movie.

DBZ MAN · Post by **DBZ MAN** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:28 pm

How can you be sure of this? I'm not having a go at you but that's certanley never a garuantee.

Post by **desirecampbell** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:05 pm

DBZ MAN wrote:How can you be sure of this? I'm not having a go at you but that's certanley never a garuantee.

That's true. Just hearing that the script has been altered for the worse doesn't mean an excellent director won't be hired. Look at Spiderman, they got Sam Raimi.

DBZ MAN · Post by **DBZ MAN** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:14 pm

Yes and also there could be a die-hard Dragonball Z fan somewhere out there who happens to be a world famous director

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:42 pm

Ya, you guys have points, but the thing is, LOTR is considered a classic piece of literature that has been around for almost half a century now. As for Spiderman, that's an American favourite. No offence, DB may be known and have been broadcast in a lot of different countries, but it's still an anime from Japan. I'm not saying this is right or fair to DB, but trust me, directors like Peter Jackson aren't at this very moment thinking, "Next I really want to make a live-action version of DBZ!"

And this is going to be an American movie production we're talking about. Hollywood pretty much only sees in dollar signs and the people that will be calling the shots, the studio bigwigs, tend to be these very people and also the ones that tend to be the most clueless about stuff.

Ya I'm cynical, but better to be that way and be pleasantly suprised, than to get my hopes up and be disappointed. And to get an idea of what I'm referring to with Hollywood mentalities, just watch "An Evening With Kevin Smith" and his story about pitching a Superman film to Peter Gubers. Very scary stuff.

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:52 pm

There's this "What if?" of it becoming a great flick and bring an unprecended level of success and fame to American Dragonball.

But, there's also another "What if?", the what-if they plagues my thoughts amongst all of this, and the what-if that is by far the most likely...

A piss poor pathetic product which slaughters the story, ignores both the Manga and the Anime, and attempts to cater to the 11-year-old AF fans whom run about the internet like AIDS.

What would a "Hollywood" director look at DBZ as? Some amazing, legendary tale of great respect and honor, or perhaps...a cash cow. A low budget way to skim some money of some kids moms. No goal other than to take advantage of Dragonball.

And imagine...what kind of Fan Cult that could potentially spawn. Some of us dislike dubbies, or AF enthuisiests, or people who plain just don't know anything...just imagine, what this could become, what this could be.

I'm scared of that.

Kula · Post by **Kula** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:17 pm

DBZ MAN wrote:Same here but know one believes anyone if they have no position on it. If someone made a topic about how they would direct, score and make the movie I would gladly put my 2 cents in but I won't make the topic in case it seems silly.

If I could add my 2 cents…

If I were in charge of the script, I would try to stick as closely to the manga/anime as possible. I would start by dividing each saga into its own script and roughly working out some timings/pacings for them, i.e. at what point in the movie would certain battles / dialogue take place and how long would they take place for. Striping away filler is a no brainer. E.g. No Princess Snake, Garlic Jnr, fake Namek, driving test, etc.

I would definitely start at the Saiyan saga, rather than making 2 or 3 Dragonball movies. I would condense Dragonball into a short flashback, similar to the beginning of Lord of the Rings, but not giving too much away so that we could go back and make prequels if the Z movies were successful.

I would probably drop Lunch as a character and Freeza’s third ‘Alien’ form among other things. You would also have to develop characters such as Tenshinhan, Yamcha and Chautsu early on, so that their deaths would actually have some meaning.

Saiya-jin · Post by **Saiya-jin** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:23 pm

Lets just hope its not like DB: The Magic Begins

Could someone tell me where I can buy that by the way?(It's very rare, so it would be nice to own a copy.)

Sorry, didn't mean to go off topic!