29. Marvels
Published back in 1994, Marvels was essentially a tribute to the thirty-odd years of comic book history that had preceded it. Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross took readers on a whirlwind tour of the Days Of Marvel Past, including key snapshots of landmark narrative events like the marriage of the Fantastic Fours Reed Richards and Sue Storm and the controversial demise of Gwen Stacy at the hands of the Green Goblin. All of this was told through the eyes of a reporter- Phil Sheldon- who would no doubt serve as a great, realistic human cipher through which the storyline could become one of deep empathy for cinema audiences. It wouldnt necessarily be the easiest of jobs for Marvel to tie together different franchises under one encompassing film- remember all the ruckus about the Amazing Spider-Mans omission from the Avengers universe?- but even referencing other super-heroes could work in context. This would be a true fans homage through and through, yet a flick with untapped potential to become a genuinely different kind of superhero film. Think of how the final two Nolan Batman films delved into the media and citys reaction to the Dark Knightnow picture that on the other side of the camera lenses!
How Close Is It To Being Made?: Now for the bad news: to our knowledge, no talks about the production of a Marvels movie adaptation have yet happened at any of the comic-book publishers film studios. For such a project to be undertaken would require enormous ambition from the likes of Edgar Wright or another established filmmaker, and since the former is busy trying to get his Ant-Man film out in 2014 ready for Avengers 2, were just going to hope someone from the latter group crops up soon.
Casting Choices: Aptly enough, I could see Tobey Maguire fitting the journalist bill nicely here- it would be a matter of whether Marvel regards their continuity a little too highly! Other than that, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and countless other former and current stars could easily be taken into consideration, if of course the project ever gets off the ground.
Suggested by Thomas Buxton
28. Last Days of American Crime
If there was any justice in the world, this wonderful comic book would be much, much higher on this list, as it has a hugely compelling story and some wonderful characters - but then, somewhat unthinkably, Last Days doesn't seem to be as well-known as it deserves, and despite some serious looking conviction to make a movie, Hollywood still doesn't really have a definitive answer for the Radical Studios comic. The story centers on a dystopian near-future in which the American government has decided to transmit a radio signal that will quash everyone's criminal compulsions, and a heist set up by an old-school criminal looking to beat the transmission by five days and pull of a grand haul to get himself out of the country before the count-down hits zero. Along the way he meets an unstable mob-brat with his own vendettas and his girlfriend, who brings her own super-charged sexuality to set up a delicious dirty love and deception triangle. It's a seriously good yarn.
How Close Is It To Being Made?: An adaptation has been in the works for a while, with F. Gary Gray in the helmer's seat for a while and Sam Worthington (mis)cast as the lead not so long ago, and music video director Anthony Mandler now attached and rumours of Noomi Rapace. The comic's writer Rick Remender penned the first attempt at a screenplay, but recent news had Dead Like Me writer and story editor Karl Gajdusek polishing the most recent draft.
Casting Choices: Sam Worthington might be a banker, but he's plainly too young for the lead of Last Days, and someone like Hugh Jackman would be a better bet, offering the right gruff tones to the character. Charisma is a big part of that character, and Jackman could pull it off, and if he couldn't someone like Jon Hamm might make for a good alternative. Noomi Rapace is hands down the best option for the female lead, and the younger, volatile third lead would be great for Ezra Miller, whose mesmerizing anti-charm in We Need To Talk About Kevin could be the key to a major hook for any film adaptation.
Suggested by Simon Gallagher
27. Danger Girl
Danger Girl is a team of female secret agents that have mad cap adventures reminiscent of the best of James Bond and Indiana Jones. American Abbey Chase, Australian Sydney Savage and usually one other member (the third girl usually winds up being temporary or a double agent of some criminal faction) are sent out on missions by Deuce, a former
British Secret Service Agent (who shares a lot in common with Sean Connery) and Silicon Valerie, a teenage computer wiz. The adventures are usually a collection of fire fights, car chases, crazy looking bad guys, up skirt shots and just plain fun. From the original run of Danger Girl, created by
J. Scott Campbell and Andy Hartnell
right up to the latest mini series this team has lived in the world of pure cinematic adventure, so its about time they got their big screen debut.
How Close Is It To Being Made: There has actually been a lot of movement for Danger Girl over the years even if its never gone anywhere. Talk of a movie or a TV show have been in the rumour mill for what seems like forever. The last instalment to the ongoing development was
Milla Jovovich,
Kate Beckinsale and
Sofia Vergara being up for the first team of girls on the big screen but that was August 2011 and theres been nothing since.
Casting Choices: For me, the question of who should play the Danger Girls has been a fun game of changing actresses since the comics launch in 1998. At this moment in time, Id go Abbie Cornish for Abbey Chase, Kate Beckinsale for Sydney Savage and given the third member could be something new for the film franchise Ill leave that choice up to you guys.
Suggested by Marcus Doidge
26. Locke & Key
Locke & Key, the ghostly, weird, horror and downright awesome comic book series written by
Joe Hill, illustrated by
Gabriel Rodriguez is currently my favourite comic book read. The series goes from strength to strength and I cant get enough of the odd feeling supernatural twists and turns it has. When the Locke family move to Lovecraft after the brutal murder of their father, strange things begin to occur when the three children Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode begin finding keys around the old house. Keys that enable you to leave your body as travel as a ghostly form or keys that flip open the top of your head and remove memories, feelings or nightmares. Locke & Key is everything modern horror isnt. Its intelligent, dramatic and genuinely creepy when it wants to be. The backstory continues to grow, making the history of the story more intriguing at every turn. Its a fantastic read, thats so hard to sum up in such a short space but the series deserves a multi-movie project to enable it to unfold at the right pace. Think Harry Potter but for an older crowd.
How Close Is It To Being Made: Fox made a pilot for the TV show, that aired at Comic Con last year but never got picked up for broadcast. By what I saw of it, they got the casting bang on and the mood seemed right but this was a trailer and nothing else. Theres talk of another network picking it up but that seems to have disappeared off of the radar too.
Casting Choices: The TV Pilot had the following cast: Miranda Otto played Nina Locke, Sarah Bolger was Kinsey Locke and Nick Stahl co-starred as Duncan Locke. Skylar Gaertner played 6-year old Bode, and Harrison Thomas played a teenager possessed by an evil spirit. Actor and singer Jesse McCartney appeared as Ty Locke, the series' male lead and Ksenia Solo was cast as Dodge. Seemed good to me.
25. Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper is just your basic revenge story really. You're a genetically engineered super soldier who happens to be the only surviving member of your team. Your friends, and in a sense family have all been massacred, so there's only one thing left to do really. Travel the war ravaged Nu-Earth on a bloody quest for justice. Known only as Rogue, this GI (genetic infantryman) is the product of the perpetual war that has ravaged Nu-Earth. Created to be the ultimate soldier, he is immune to most toxins and can be submersed in acid. He can even survive exposure to a vacuum. Betrayed by his general, who was in cahoots with the Norts (the war draws parallels with the American Civil War), Rogue sets out for revenge with his only buddies, biochips implanted within his equipment. Gunnar is mounted on Rogues' rifle while Bagman is on his backpack and Helm, funnily enough is mounted on his helmet.
How Close Is It To Being Made?: Nothing currently. While keeping track of four characters might be difficult in a film, especially one that would probably be quite obscure to most people who aren't British, I could see them combining the three personalities into one, and get a kind of buddy cop thing going.
Suggested by Corey Milne