'Dragonball' Movie on Track: What the Fuck, Chow?

Professor Snugglesworth

Don't get too excited, he isn't playing Goku. Instead, that whiny kid from War of the Worlds is up to the task. They also got Buffy's Spike as Piccolo.

No, really.....

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34787

After various setbacks, Fox is finally spinning up its live action movie adaptation of DRAGONBALL.

Justin Chatwin will play heroic Goku. Chatwin's done a ton of stuff, including Spielberg's WAR OF THE WORLDS.

James Marsters (Spike on BUFFY) will play Piccolo, the badguy. Stephen Chow (writer/producer/director of KUNG FU HUSTLE & writer/director of SHAOLIN SOCCER) will produce.

The story follows an adult humanoid alien named Goku, who discovers that he was sent to Earth to blend in and destroy our population but instead elects to protect it from an oncoming alien onslaught bent on dominating the universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name.

The film will be directed by James Wong (Exec Producer & frequent writer of SPACE: ABOVE & BEYOND, THE X-FILES and MILLENNIUM - he also directed Jet Li's THE ONE and FINAL DESTINATION).

We may be get DRAGONBALL as early as August 15, 2008. Seems like a tight fit...we'll see.

Frankly, I don't believe a word of this, and I'm trying to get over my curiousity of witnessing a live DBZ over this potential trainwreck. On the one hand, getting Chow to produce the film is a brilliant move, but not only is that kid too young and too skinny to play Goku (unless they were going for authenticity and wanted him to be Teenage Goku, during the final tournament in Dragon Ball), but Spike as Piccolo is just plain absurd. He might have worked as Vegeta, but not Piccolo.

I still do adore the DBZ series even now, and I think with the right budget and tongue-in-cheek scripting, a live movie could work and could end up entertaining. But if any of this proves true, then I don't know what the hell to make of it.

_J_

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

They also got Buffy's Spike as Piccolo.

GLEEE!!!

Wait...an american made DBZ live action movie?

James Marsters as Piccolo?

:x

Local H Jay

This conjures up horrific recollections of the old live action Dragonball movie (Even if that was unofficial, it left a bad taste in my mouth).

But if it does well.... I wonder if they'd shave his eyebrows off and put a wig on him for Super Sayian 3, or just do supa CGI like Transformers...

Casual Eddy

Man that whiny kid from war of the worlds was super hot in a whiny sort of way.

Grey Ghost

According to Comingsoon.net (in turn according to Variety) Chatwin has started his training with the company that did the training for 300. So, presumably he will bulk up to some extent. He's a little twig man right now. And I think this is the sort of role that Marsters will be able to have lots of over-the-top fun with.

MikeRyu

I am amazed that Stephen Chow is involved at all with this as his name was one that was always being thrown out there in whenever the topic of a Dragonball movie came up.

I'm not sure about the Goku they have, and as much as I like James Marsters, I am having a really tough time imagining him as Piccolo. Piccolo should be an imposing, authoritative figure, and I'm not sure that James Marsters can pull that off well. I agree with Snugglesworth, I too can picture him as Vegeta quite well.

From what I can tell this is really a Dragonball movie without the "Z", and so the ages will probably be all messed up from how we know them.

I hope that Stephen Chow is really involved as a producer in this one, and it's not just a vanity credit, as this movie could really do with some of that Kung Fu Hustle magic.

Professor Snugglesworth

According to Comingsoon.net (in turn according to Variety) Chatwin has started his training with the company that did the training for 300. So, presumably he will bulk up to some extent. He's a little twig man right now. And I think this is the sort of role that Marsters will be able to have lots of over-the-top fun with.

He's going to have to bulk the hell up, because even as a teenager, Goku was goddamn ripped. Hearing that he's actually bulking up as we speak does bring a bit of hope for me, but he's going to have to go a long way if he makes it as far as Super Saiyan.

From what I can tell this is really a Dragonball movie without the "Z", and so the ages will probably be all messed up from how we know them.

I had it in my head for quite a while how a potentially good DBZ movie could play out. The opening moments of the film could be a quick summary of DB, how Bulma meets this amusing but freakishly strong young boy in the middle of the woods, a little montage of Goku growing stronger and meeting some of his friends, and then we get to a good 15 minute-ish battle between Teen Goku and Piccolo at the Tenkaichi Budokai. This is all a setup to the main plot of the movie, which has Raditz decending to earth, revealing Goku's heritage as well as proving to be an opponent so strong that Goku has to team up with his former enemy. The audience sees that even though Goku is very strong, he's still an underdog compared to the Saiyans. He trains up, some dramatic deaths are witnessed, and we have a climactic battle between Goku and Vegeta. If Fox wants to do the trilogy angle, we've got Freeza for the 2nd movie and Cell for the third.

They just better goddamn have Jet Li as Vegeta. I don't care if he can't speak english very well, just teach him how to say "Kakarott" and "Over 9000". He's short, black haired, fights like an animal and has a constant scowling look on his face. No one else could do the job.

DarkWarrior

I really don't see how this would work at all. The amount of buff actors youd need just doesnt seem feasible. Unless...but what role what Matthew Mcconhawhatever play/

_J_

I don't know how it would work in terms of character design. Are they supposed to look like the dbz characters? Orange outfit with blue shoes for Goku? How will that not look idiotic? And then we'll have the CG beam battles.

Yeah...I'm guessing this will be a giant train wreck.

lemone_powah

This movie is going to be motherfucking terrible, people.

I can't wait to see it.

_J_

It will be a good movie to watch while drunk.

"That's not cannon!" They will exclaim.

WyndhamPrice

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/Seperoth/bsg_what.gif


Uh, other than that, yes to seeing James Marsters working.

MikeRyu

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

According to Comingsoon.net (in turn according to Variety) Chatwin has started his training with the company that did the training for 300. So, presumably he will bulk up to some extent. He's a little twig man right now. And I think this is the sort of role that Marsters will be able to have lots of over-the-top fun with.

He's going to have to bulk the hell up, because even as a teenager, Goku was goddamn ripped. Hearing that he's actually bulking up as we speak does bring a bit of hope for me, but he's going to have to go a long way if he makes it as far as Super Saiyan.

From what I can tell this is really a Dragonball movie without the "Z", and so the ages will probably be all messed up from how we know them.

I had it in my head for quite a while how a potentially good DBZ movie could play out. The opening moments of the film could be a quick summary of DB, how Bulma meets this amusing but freakishly strong young boy in the middle of the woods, a little montage of Goku growing stronger and meeting some of his friends, and then we get to a good 15 minute-ish battle between Teen Goku and Piccolo at the Tenkaichi Budokai. This is all a setup to the main plot of the movie, which has Raditz decending to earth, revealing Goku's heritage as well as proving to be an opponent so strong that Goku has to team up with his former enemy. The audience sees that even though Goku is very strong, he's still an underdog compared to the Saiyans. He trains up, some dramatic deaths are witnessed, and we have a climactic battle between Goku and Vegeta. If Fox wants to do the trilogy angle, we've got Freeza for the 2nd movie and Cell for the third.

They just better goddamn have Jet Li as Vegeta. I don't care if he can't speak english very well, just teach him how to say "Kakarott" and "Over 9000". He's short, black haired, fights like an animal and has a constant scowling look on his face. No one else could do the job.

I used to think that something similar would work but I quite like the idea of doing a stripped down Dragonball story now. It's a lot less messy a premise for the first film as you can introduce everyone in without having lots of backstory, and if done right it sets up for the Saiyans and all that jazz for sequels.

_J_

MikeRyu wrote: »

I used to think that something similar would work but I quite like the idea of doing a stripped down Dragonball story now. It's a lot less messy a premise for the first film as you can introduce everyone in without having lots of backstory, and if done right it sets up for the Saiyans and all that jazz for sequels.

And it is not as if the DBZ storylines were themselves masterworks.

Professor Snugglesworth

I think a lot of fans would be pissed at the lack of DBZ characters like Vegeta, Gohan, and a good guy Piccolo. A combination of the last DB arc plus the first DBZ arc would please a lot more people, in my opinion, but it is important to establish Goku's history before his Saiyan traits are revealed.

If they got an awesome actor for Tien so they could replicate the Goku/Tien fight, that would be a plus.

Aroduc

Maybe (hopefully) they just want to do a Journey to the West movie and want the extra cash for the license tie in. That's my hope.

Cyvros

Woot. I'm trying to imagine the work the hair people are going to have to go through.

Wikipedia's already got a section on this:

In March 2002, 20th Century Fox acquired feature film rights to the Dragon Ball franchise.[1] In June 2004, Variety magazine reported that 20th Century Fox hired screenwriter Ben Ramsey for $500,000 to adapt a screenplay for Dragon Ball Z.[2] In 2007, James Wong and Stephen Chow signed on as director and producer respectively for a film entitled Dragonball. Wong rewrote the script. Justin Chatwin will star as Goku, and James Marsters will play Piccolo, who is the antagonist in the film.[3] Shooting will begin in November 2007,[3] and last through March at locations in Durango, and will move to Estado De México for some shots at Nevado de Toluca.[4] The film will be released on August 15, 2008.[3]

I just hope the fight scenes don't end up being almost entirely CG.

Edit When they say Marsters will play Piccolo, do they mean King Piccolo or Junior?

Professor Snugglesworth

Why not both? The only difference between the two is a set of wrinkles, after all.

Can Spike really pull it off? Is that accent from Buffy authentic or real? I always pictured a live Piccolo to be a mix between a green suit and CG sprinkled around it. Something like Abe Sapien from Hellboy. That's what I want to see for Piccolo.

Cyvros

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Why not both? The only difference between the two is a set of wrinkles, after all.

That's a point, but will they be able to fit both in a film? (Unless it's a Peter Jackson-esque five-hour-long-plus-intermission epic.)

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Can Spike really pull it off? Is that accent from Buffy authentic or real? I always pictured a live Piccolo to be a mix between a green suit and CG sprinkled around it. Something like Abe Sapien from Hellboy. That's what I want to see for Piccolo.

As you said, he'd be good as Vegeta (well, with a severely buffed-up Marsters), but I think he'd be able to pull Piccolo off. And apparently his English accent is put-on (inspired by Tony Head's accent).

Inglorious Coyote

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Is that accent from Buffy authentic or real?

Fake. Marsters is American, he just used the accent for Spike.

Anyway, since this is 20th Century Fox's answer to Transformers, if it's even close to that good I'd be thrilled. And Stephen Chow is about the only guy I'd trust to not totally fuck it up. Plus I hear this Wong fellow's X-files stuff was very good.

As it is I'm cautiously optimistic.

YodaTuna

Cyvros wrote: »

Woot. I'm trying to imagine the work the hair people are going to have to go through.

Wikipedia's already got a section on this:

In March 2002, 20th Century Fox acquired feature film rights to the Dragon Ball franchise.[1] In June 2004, Variety magazine reported that 20th Century Fox hired screenwriter Ben Ramsey for $500,000 to adapt a screenplay for Dragon Ball Z.[2] In 2007, James Wong and Stephen Chow signed on as director and producer respectively for a film entitled Dragonball. Wong rewrote the script. Justin Chatwin will star as Goku, and James Marsters will play Piccolo, who is the antagonist in the film.[3] Shooting will begin in November 2007,[3] and last through March at locations in Durango, and will move to Estado De México for some shots at Nevado de Toluca.[4] The film will be released on August 15, 2008.[3]

I just hope the fight scenes don't end up being almost entirely CG.

Edit When they say Marsters will play Piccolo, do they mean King Piccolo or Junior?

That blurb makes it sound like it's actually based off DB and not DBZ, which would mean no Vegeta, Gohan, etc...

Professor Snugglesworth

And again, they would lose a significant audience since the majority of american fans are immersed in DBZ, and care little for the events before it. I'd certainly hate to have to wait an extra 3 or 4 years just for them to get to Raditz, Gohan, Nappa and Vegeta.

Local H Jay

Honestly, I'm surprised they're keeping the names in tact, let alone the basic plot.
I don't think there's any way they can make this movie good and faithful to the DB lore.
Hopefully they can find a happy medium of fan service and kung-fu movie.
I mean, aside from the beams and walking faster than the eye can precieve, the old DB series would have been an excellent martial arts film.

Cyvros

Perhaps, but it may be better this way than, say, doing a DBZ film first then a DB prequel (like The Hobbit and LOTR.

Which doesn't quite bring up something I've been wondering about, but I'm going to ask anyway. Any ideas about an actor for Krillin/Kuririn? I can't think of anyone who could play him properly.

Inglorious Coyote

The current word is that James Kyson Lee, aka Ando from Heroes, is up for the part of Yamcha.

devoir

This is going to be so bad it's going to be full of win.

Edit: Sammo Hung for Yajirobi.

WyndhamPrice

Doing plain DB as opposed to DBZ would probably make a lot more sense now that I think about it. The story doesn't quite get so completely insane during Dragonball, and would probably cost less money.

devoir

But would possibly not make sense if it's dry and doesn't have the flashy ki powers that people have come to expect.

Cyvros

devoir wrote: »

Edit: Sammo Hung for Yajirobi.

He's getting old, but he could pull it off.

I wonder if they'll have a completely new storyline or base it off the series or book storylines. They've already written the script, of course, but the things I've read are a tad conflicting. It sounds like they're going for a DB storyline with Piccolo, but this Superhero Hype article has this:

Dragon Ball Z is about a young boy called Goku. He faces Evil Vegeta, who tries to destroy the hero to prove that Goku is not the legendary warrior many believe he is.

Maybe they're just referring to DBZ in general.

Fleck0

I can't see how this won't be a train wreck. Maybe they're banking on people seeing is based off sheer morbid curiosity, I know I will

I want Beat Takeshi in it, don't know where or why. But I do

WyndhamPrice

Master Roshi.

devoir

Hey.

Britney Spears could play Bulma.

Except for when Bulma's smart.

TehSpectre

Fleck0 wrote: »

I can't see how this won't be a train wreck. Maybe they're banking on people seeing is based off sheer morbid curiosity, I know I will

I want Beat Takeshi in it, don't know where or why. But I do

WyndhamPrice wrote: »

Master Roshi.

FyreWulff

I thought I already saw this.

It was the last fight scene in Matrix Revolutions.

Seriously, just copy that, and I'd pay to go see it three times.

An-D

If this movie gets made, than my faith in both humanity and God will be completely restored and I can die a happy (if lonely) man.

McSweety

As much as I love Stephen Chow, I can't imagine this being anything but the worst or best movie ever. The casting decisions so far have been mind-boggling. I'm getting embarrassed just thinking about it.

Professor Snugglesworth

Brendan Fraser should've been Goku.



He's got that dopey/brave look to him, he's already pretty buff, and he'd look good in orange.

ege02

I heard 75 percent of the movie will consists of showing characters charging up their powers while going "hhhhhrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh......."

and then another character pointing the power measurement thingie at the other one going "whoa, this thing can't even register the amount of power that dude has!"

FCD

And then the power measurement thingy explodes.

Local H Jay

ITS OVAR NINE TTTTTHHHHHHHOOOOUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSAAAAANNNNNDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!
Better make it in there.

theSquid

Are you guys kidding?

If you cut out all the filler, Dragonball seasons are about 2 hours of story, so it should be dead easy to pull this off.