Bringing The Thunder

I have spent several hours and used several words to worry about projects having to do with my beloved comic books. It is a rarity that I actually get excited about a project prior to its release. It’s even rarer I get excited about a project before it has even started filming.

I find myself in this position when it comes to the upcoming Thor movie. I can’t help but be excited. I love the cast (so far) and I feel very strongly the writers will make a memorable film. Allow me to explain.

Thor is a collaboration of writers. Normally I cringe at the thought of having too many writers on a project. Overall, it seems collaboration doesn’t work. However, there are times when it does work. I think the key is to have writers with similar backgrounds on the project and to have one of them step up and take charge of the screenplay. I see that with Thor.

Let’s look at the gaggle of writers shall we? There are six total. Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Larry Lieber are names we know. They are in charge of characters. This means when the actual writers of the script come up with a fantastic idea they will defer to its creators to make sure it fits or, at the very least, is not out of the realm of possibility for said character.

The other three writers are Zack Stentz, Ashley Miller, and Mark Protosevich. Overall, they don’t have a lot of experience, but what they do have has been quality. Stentz and Miller have both worked on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Fringe. Miller has also written for Andromeda. The heavy hitter in the bunch, in my mind, is Protosevich. If that name sounds familiar you are likely a fan of The Cell or I Am Legend. He was the writer for both films.

Jennifer Lopez in The Cell

In any collaboration project you need somebody with an edge. I think Protosevich brings that edge. The Cell is one of the most underrated films of my time. It was brilliant, thought-provoking, and imaginative. As much as I didn’t like the ending for I Am Legend, I still enjoyed a large part of the film. If Protosevich can bring that type of attitude to Thor, I think it will rock!

Will Smith in I am Legend

In saying all of this, collaboration writing can also be damaging to a film. If the writers have a vastly different idea of how a film is to be shaped or molded, then the project is doomed from the start. It usually takes a lot of work to overcome such obstacles and, let’s face it, writers have egos too. They seldom back down from their ideas.

Other things that can kill a collaboration project are writers not willing to see the big picture of the project. I have collaborated as a writer on projects before and I can assure you there is a time to recognize when you can be a team leader and when you should be a team player. If one writer starts impeding progress, it can be disaster.

I see professionalism in this writing group. I also see vivid imaginations and a real sense of what audiences want to see. My guess is that Protosevich is the ring leader and will be the main screenplay writer. After all, he is the only one with movie experience. It makes sense.

Rumors about the cast of Thor are also going crazy. We know Thor has been cast. Chris Hemsworth has that honor. We also know Anthony Hopkins is Odin and Natalie Portman is Jane Foster. There is still no confirmation that Samuel L. Jackson is going to play Nick Fury, but, people, it’s not rocket science. Thor is part of the Avengers initiative. Jackson has already asked The Hulk and Iron Man to join forces. Why would he not do the same with Thor? It doesn’t make sense if they don’t land him.

My only concern about the cast is Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He has a major task on his hands and not a lot of experience. Loki is a lot like Gambit. He may be a piece of the puzzle, but his fans are venomous and very loyal. Hiddleston needs to recognize his responsibility to Loki fans. If he nails it, he can actually become a real god. If not, he will learn what fan Hades is all about.

Is this the new Loki?

This week they announced Kat Dennings is on the project. She is good friends with Portman and it hasn’t been determined what her role is at this point. Amora perhaps? It seems to fit.

Kat Dennings to Join Thor cast?

Time will tell if I’m right about this collaboration. So far, at least on paper, it looks great. The problem is sometimes the paper looks shinier than the product.