As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Leonardo Da Vinci and the Soliders of Forever: An Action Hero For the [Middle] Ages.

CorehealerCorehealer The ApothecaryThe softer edge of the universe.Registered User regular
edited March 2010 in Debate and/or Discourse
Now, I don't typically write new threads, but this latest news out of Hollywood simply forced my hand. I found out about this on Evil Avatar, and checked up their link to The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/03/warner-bros-making-leonardo-da-vinci-actionadventure.html
Warner Bros. is turning Leonardo into an action-adventure hero. No, not DiCaprio, but Da Vinci.

The studio has picked up a treatment titled "Leonardo da Vinci and the Soldiers of Forever" from producer Adrian Askarieh, who is teaming with Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison.

Da Vinci is best known as the painter behind "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper," though he also was an inventor, engineer, architect, mathematician among many other occupations. The project re-imagines Da Vinci as a member of a secret society who falls headlong into a supernatural adventure that pits the man against Biblical demons in a story involving secret codes, lost civilizations, hidden fortresses and fallen angels. Think "National Treasure" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by way of "Clash of the Titans."

I just wanted to lime and italicize that first bit for all of you. Leonardo Da Vinci. The definition of Renaissance Man and one of the men who began the liberal aspirations of the Enlightenment era with inventive advancements in all parts of life, art, science and culture. As an action hero. Really.

Why?
In the wake of the worldwide success of "Sherlock Holmes," Warners seems eager to make more projects involving a period setting, a historical figure and the fantastical. Last week, the studio picked up a pitch that has Francis Lawrence attached to direct a supernatural tale featuring explorer Marco Polo, and it's back in business with "Holmes" director Guy Ritchie on a King Arthur project.

That's why. It's just the beginning.

That's what I want to discuss. What should be made of Hollywood's latest round of historical/literary figure films? Why are they so obsessed with yanking great historical and literary characters out of their stories and rebranding them as FPS Jesus wannabes? And why are people apparently buying into it? I don't see the attraction, it just seems tacky and uncreative, unoriginal, and based only on a desire for quick revenue.

488W936.png
Corehealer on
«1

Posts

  • HamHamJHamHamJ Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    This sounds unintentionally hilarious.

    HamHamJ on
    While racing light mechs, your Urbanmech comes in second place, but only because it ran out of ammo.
  • Armored GorillaArmored Gorilla Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I look forward to a future where our children voluntarily look up information about Leonardo DaVinci because they believe that he fought off demons while jumping out of exploding helicopters (that he built).

    Armored Gorilla on
    "I'm a mad god. The Mad God, actually. It's a family title. Gets passed down from me to myself every few thousand years."
  • CorehealerCorehealer The Apothecary The softer edge of the universe.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    HamHamJ wrote: »
    This sounds unintentionally hilarious.

    I know. I almost want to laugh but.. it stopped being funny the last hundred times. I mean, come on:

    davinci.jpg

    An action hero? Really?

    Corehealer on
    488W936.png
  • KamarKamar Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    If wanting to see Leonardo Da Vinci fighting demons in a homemade helicopter is wrong, I don't want to be right.

    Kamar on
  • HamHamJHamHamJ Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Corehealer wrote: »
    HamHamJ wrote: »
    This sounds unintentionally hilarious.

    I know. I almost want to laugh but.. it stopped being funny the last hundred times. I mean, come on:

    davinci.jpg

    An action hero? Really?

    If they actually use something like that as the character design, it would be amazing.

    HamHamJ on
    While racing light mechs, your Urbanmech comes in second place, but only because it ran out of ammo.
  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    The Marco Polo movie could actually be interesting. Provided it doesn't become a buddy movie with Jackie Chan.

    Hedgethorn on
  • CorehealerCorehealer The Apothecary The softer edge of the universe.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Corehealer on
    488W936.png
  • randombattlerandombattle Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Da Vinci doesn't need to be an action hero that's what Ezio is for!

    randombattle on
    itsstupidbutidontcare2.gif
    I never asked for this!
  • LordSolarMachariusLordSolarMacharius Red wine with fish Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Will this be competing with the Marvel version?
    dbl1d4.jpg

    LordSolarMacharius on
  • CorehealerCorehealer The Apothecary The softer edge of the universe.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Will this be competing with the Marvel version?
    dbl1d4.jpg

    I didn't think this was a new phenomenon but... damn, how old is that?

    Corehealer on
    488W936.png
  • Man in the MistsMan in the Mists Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I get the feeling someone liked Genius: The Transgression a little bit too much.

    Man in the Mists on
  • kdrudykdrudy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    As long as they leave in his adventures with the Delta Knights I'm cool with it.

    kdrudy on
    tvsfrank.jpg
  • SurikoSuriko AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    If there was any better evidence Hollywood is fucking starved of source material, this is it.

    God...
    ...Blows Babylon the Fuck Up. Coming to an action movie near you.

    Suriko on
  • South hostSouth host I obey without question Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    kdrudy wrote: »
    As long as they leave in his adventures with the Delta Knights I'm cool with it.

    He's great with maps.

    South host on
    Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
  • Look Out it's Sabs!Look Out it's Sabs! Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Can Liam Nesson play as Da Vinci???

    Look Out it's Sabs! on
    NNID: Sabuiy
    3DS: 2852-6809-9411
  • TeeManTeeMan BrainSpoon Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    The Marco Polo movie could actually be interesting. Provided it doesn't become a buddy movie with Jackie Chan.

    Having a movie based in China starring Marco Polo will be pretty Hollywood in itself.

    TeeMan on
    steam_sig.png
  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    They're losing out on a huge marketing opportunity if they don't get Leonardo DiCaprio.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
  • CharismaismydumpstatCharismaismydumpstat Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Nerd Rage:
    I think that the institution of 'Hollywood' is the only thing that I truly hate in life. I mean feel real, bowel churning, writhing, seething rage and despair about.

    It's as if they are on a crusade to sexually violate anything of humanity that has any dignity or worth, boiling it down to it's most vulgar constituent parts and then displaying it like some kind of eviscerated vermin that your cat has brought home for you. Except no, because at least my fucking cat thought "Hey, I bet Charisma will enjoy this defiled corpse as much as I did, I should leave it in an unexpected place so that he will be pleasantly surprised by my thoughtful gift." And what's worse is that they're not even malicious! If they were some kind of fucking Pentex subsidiary and had some kind of monstrous ideological agenda to push then I would have some time for them, but they don't they're just extremely greedy and ignorant.

    They are the total heat death of humanity and deserve nothing but to be eternally preserved in screaming torment beyond the limits of human endurance or ken. I want to obliterate their souls with suffering.

    Charismaismydumpstat on
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Suriko wrote: »
    If there was any better evidence Hollywood is fucking starved of source material, this is it.

    God...
    ...Blows Babylon the Fuck Up. Coming to an action movie near you.

    Ten bucks says Michael Bay directs it.


    Edit: This really is depressing in an ironic sort of way. Mediocrity is not something you should aspire too when you're talking about a multi-million dollar industry.

    Archonex on
  • SageinaRageSageinaRage Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I think people are getting more worked up about this than it really deserves. As in at all.

    Leonardo da Vinci is not some sacred figure that cannot be reinterpreted, and hollywood is not satan incarnate. It's just a goofy action movie.

    SageinaRage on
    sig.gif
  • zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    This sounds terrible and it would still be more creative than the majority of big screen Hollywood movies, so I can't say I have an issue with it. Not the producers fault that stupid sells.

    zeeny on
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    It's more the sheer irony of it to me.

    Someone is taking someone who made amazing works of art, had a significant impact on modern society, and is turning him into an action hero. Most likely with sarcastic humor and quips, if the "Holmes" movie is any indication.


    It's like if someone did a movie about Machiavelli revenging himself upon upper class society in a blood-soaked rampage through the city streets, all while wielding a broadsword and dual SMG's akimbo. There's a sort of fundamental reality dissonance there.

    Archonex on
  • Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C E Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I think people are getting more worked up about this than it really deserves. As in at all.

    Leonardo da Vinci is not some sacred figure that cannot be reinterpreted, and hollywood is not satan incarnate. It's just a goofy action movie.
    Seriously.

    I'm kind of looking forward to it. I'll probably enjoy it at least as much as the Sherlock Holmes movie.

    Hi I'm Vee! on
    vRyue2p.png
  • PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Can Liam Nesson play as Da Vinci???

    Nope casting is already out
    1591u.jpg
    as is the casting of his sidekicks, Nick "the Prince" Machiavelli and "GG" Galileo
    the-situation-and-pauly-d_380x570.jpg

    Also there's going to be "Zak Newton: Unequal Reaction!"
    Bisping.jpg

    Which will be followed by "Gandhi: The Final Resistance"
    86941_p1_shaq1.jpg

    PantsB on
    11793-1.png
    day9gosu.png
    QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
  • CharismaismydumpstatCharismaismydumpstat Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Although my post was intended to be self deprecatingly unreasonable, there is genuine feeling behind it.

    While the release of an adaptation has no effect upon the original work, it does create a new popular conception of that work. It upsets me to see something of complexity, beauty and dignity feted as something simple, vulgar and banal. Without wanting to drive the thread off topic I particularly have in mind the new Alice in Wonderland movie, which takes two extremely different books with tremendously diverse mood and themes and which are each in all seriousness an outpouring of the author’s very soul and casually couples them into something devoid of context and content.

    If mainstream adaptations were being produced that added something to the adapted concept or work then I would not be upset by it. It is the repeated hollowing out of very beautiful things and their being stuffed with the same spiritually bankrupt clay that offends me.

    This post was supposed to be more serious and even keeled than my last, and I don’t know if it is or not. I do know that every time one of these films is released I feel as if someone has taken a waxwork, put it on a pedestal and said “Look, this is what humanity is.”

    I am sure that lots of people will enjoy the film, and I don’t resent them for it. I just want to vent the feelings that I have about this sort of movie.

    Charismaismydumpstat on
  • CorehealerCorehealer The Apothecary The softer edge of the universe.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Although my post was intended to be self deprecatingly unreasonable, there is genuine feeling behind it.

    While the release of an adaptation has no effect upon the original work, it does create a new popular conception of that work. It upsets me to see something of complexity, beauty and dignity feted as something simple, vulgar and banal. Without wanting to drive the thread off topic I particularly have in mind the new Alice in Wonderland movie, which takes two extremely different books with tremendously diverse mood and themes and which are each in all seriousness an outpouring of the author’s very soul and casually couples them into something devoid of context and content.

    If mainstream adaptations were being produced that added something to the adapted concept or work then I would not be upset by it. It is the repeated hollowing out of very beautiful things and their being stuffed with the same spiritually bankrupt clay that offends me.

    This post was supposed to be more serious and even keeled than my last, and I don’t know if it is or not. I do know that every time one of these films is released I feel as if someone has taken a waxwork, put it on a pedestal and said “Look, this is what humanity is.”

    I am sure that lots of people will enjoy the film, and I don’t resent them for it. I just want to vent the feelings that I have about this sort of movie.

    I agree with Charisma on this, but I also see the point others make in that: "It's just a goofy action movie, let's give it a chance".
    I don't know how much liberty taking on these grounds is good to keep it entertaining without destroying the content and value of the source material in the process. I know it's possibly, albeit rarely it seems now, to take popular characters from history and novels and rework them, but should it really be encouraged to become a mainstream movie theme? Can we really afford a movie version of this:
    dantes-inferno-game-box-artwork.jpg

    This game wasn't all bad but still... I read the poem, Dante does not an action hero make.

    Corehealer on
    488W936.png
  • DeadfallDeadfall I don't think you realize just how rich he is. In fact, I should put on a monocle.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Will this be competing with the Marvel version?
    dbl1d4.jpg

    This is incredible.

    Also, I will watch the hell out of an action Da Vinci movie.


    Looks like he....

    8-)

    Painted the town red.
    (with blood.)

    (reaching for an artist pun here)

    Deadfall on
    7ivi73p71dgy.png
    xbl - HowYouGetAnts
    steam - WeAreAllGeth
  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Nerd Rage:
    Wahhh wahhh wahhhhh WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    Jesus Christ stop your incessant whining. You sound like my friend who bitches about covers being "inherently worse" than the base song due to "lack of originality" or my friend who says that only classical music has any value because "it was the base of everything after it"

    God you're so pretentious. How about you lighten up and enjoy the movie for the ridiculousness that it is or, if you can't handle that, maybe just not watch it

    Rent on
  • HeartlashHeartlash Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Time for a nerd pet peeve:

    Da Vinci just means "of Vinci", as in Vinci, Italy. The man's name is Leonardo, people.

    Also, this has been done before:

    12inch_Leonardo_TMNT-01.jpg

    Heartlash on
    My indie mobile gaming studio: Elder Aeons
    Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
  • HeartlashHeartlash Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Rent wrote: »
    Nerd Rage:
    Wahhh wahhh wahhhhh WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    Jesus Christ stop your incessant whining. You sound like my friend who bitches about covers being "inherently worse" than the base song due to "lack of originality" or my friend who says that only classical music has any value because "it was the base of everything after it"

    God you're so pretentious. How about you lighten up and enjoy the movie for the ridiculousness that it is or, if you can't handle that, maybe just not watch it

    Now, the post you're quoting is hyperbolic to say the least, but you have to admit there is legitimacy is criticizing bastardized versions of history perpetuated by Hollywood. Sure, it's entertainment, and plenty of people understand that. There is, however, going to be an inevitable segment of the watching audience that associates the movie with some semblance of historical reality.

    Hell, I've met people who thought 300 was a "relatively accurate" historical film. 300.

    Moreover, even if people understand that it's pure fiction, there will be subtle aspects of the film that influence their perception in negative ways. It's kind of like the way Jesus is consistently portrayed as a white guy with brown hair. That's somehow become the accepted image of how he must've looked when in all possible likelihood it's simply not the case.

    Sorry, ranting now.

    Heartlash on
    My indie mobile gaming studio: Elder Aeons
    Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I think that's more of a case of "retards being retarded" than the movies being deceptive or some such

    And I mean "Relatively accurate" is an...ahem...relative statement

    Was there a battle at Thermoplyae? Yes

    Were there 300 Spartans there? Yes

    Were the Spartans outnumbered from the start in the league of, at least, several hundred to one? Yes

    Were the Spartans able to hold the invading force via the ingenious usage of bottlenecks? Yes

    Did the battle take place over three days? Were they betrayed by a Greek farmer during the second day of fighting by the farmer giving notice to the invading army of a subtrail? Yes, and Yes

    Was the battle necessary to give the allied Greek city-states time to reform and launch a counterattack? Yes

    Did most people in America know any of this shit before 300? Fuck no

    Rent on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Really, the only way this would work is if they made it into a total goof and played it for laughs.

    You know, kind of like when The Tick did this exact same thing 15 years ago.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvq_Ha3PPsc

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqXqmDLId-4

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy3oupZ1G7k

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • HeartlashHeartlash Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Rent wrote: »
    I think that's more of a case of "retards being retarded" than the movies being deceptive or some such

    I disagree with this for a few reasons. While no sociological statements are inherently perfect/accurate, I think it's fair to say that our (American) culture is highly influenced by the mainstream media we consume. It often shapes our understanding of history and perceptions of things outside of our everyday immediate experience. People take ideas they see or read, fictional or not, and apply them to how they imagine parts of the world work.

    Have you ever been talking to someone who swore up and down they understood something obscure, like say a foreign war; and realized they had no idea what they were talking about? That faux understanding is often a byproduct of this phenomenon. It happens all over the place. Hell, lord knows I'VE done it before.
    Rent wrote: »
    And I mean "Relatively accurate" is an...ahem...relative statement

    Was there a battle at Thermoplyae? Yes

    Were there 300 Spartans there? Yes

    Were the Spartans outnumbered from the start in the league of, at least, several hundred to one? Yes

    Were the Spartans able to hold the invading force via the ingenious usage of bottlenecks? Yes

    Did the battle take place over three days? Were they betrayed by a Greek farmer during the second day of fighting by the farmer giving notice to the invading army of a subtrail? Yes, and Yes

    Was the battle necessary to give the allied Greek city-states time to reform and launch a counterattack? Yes

    Did most people in America know any of this shit before 300? Fuck no

    You could use the same logic to assume that Disney's Pocahontas was an adequate portrayal of the events of that period; or that Braveheart was an accurate portrayal of William Wallace just because William Wallace existed and was in it.

    I'm not trying to say that every movie has to be a studied piece of history. I'm pointing out the fact that there are often negative cultural consequences when movies trend toward what is popular instead of what is accurate or possessing of artistic merit. People begin to develop hard-lined thoughts that aren't rooted in reality, and such thoughts can often lead to all the typical nastiness that comes with ignorance.

    That said, I think the action Leonardo movie will be pretty harmless fluff. I just tend to like it when movies try to accurately portray, both from a writing standpoint and through engrossing film techniques, historical figures and events.

    Heartlash on
    My indie mobile gaming studio: Elder Aeons
    Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
  • Jademonkey79Jademonkey79 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Given the fact that the average person barely takes the time to read about laws they vote for, I have no problem spoon-feeding them shredded history for breakfast.

    Is it sad that we need explosions and slow motion fight scenes to get people interested in history? Absolutely. But such is the world in which we live. Besides, in 100 years the average person's knowledge of human history will probably be 100000 times more warped than it is today.

    Jademonkey79 on
    "We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them."
  • KageraKagera Imitating the worst people. Since 2004Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I suppose you gooses won't take kindly to ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER then?

    Or the fact that I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies instead of just Pride and Prejudice?

    Kagera on
    My neck, my back, my FUPA and my crack.
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    People will believe ANYTHING.

    That is why there are 800 books and documentaries on how accurate The Da Vinci Code is.

    Leonardo is already fucking awesome. Why do they need to make him a demon-slayer?

    Tomanta on
  • MorgensternMorgenstern ICH BIN DER PESTVOGEL DU KAMPFAFFE!Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    What they're failing to realize here is that Holmes is a fictional character, thus pitting him in a 'fantastic' themed period movie, full of action scenes, isn't that far fetched.

    Da Vinci isn't a fictional character. He's not just made up.

    Fuck this. I'm writing a script with Albrecht Durer, Michaelangelo and Rembrandt teaming up to defeat a time-travelling art thief.

    Morgenstern on
    “Every time we walk along a beach some ancient urge disturbs us so that we find ourselves shedding shoes and garments or scavenging among seaweed and whitened timbers like the homesick refugees of a long war.” - Loren Eiseley
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Kagera wrote: »
    I suppose you gooses won't take kindly to ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER then?

    Or the fact that I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies instead of just Pride and Prejudice?

    Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is supposed to be hilarious.

    And PP&Z isn't nearly as funny if you haven't read P&P.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • KageraKagera Imitating the worst people. Since 2004Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Kagera wrote: »
    I suppose you gooses won't take kindly to ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER then?

    Or the fact that I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies instead of just Pride and Prejudice?

    Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is supposed to be hilarious.

    And PP&Z isn't nearly as funny if you haven't read P&P.

    Oh it totally IS. Because I know the general story of Pride and Prejudice but never could be arsed to actually read the damn thing.

    Also I find the idea of Leonardo slaying demons hilarious.

    Kagera on
    My neck, my back, my FUPA and my crack.
Sign In or Register to comment.