Witchblade: With so many Choices, Which one will Film Producers Choose?
Some fans might already be familiar with the fact that there is a feature film version of Witchblade in the works. Originally, there were talks about releasing the movie in 2009, but so far, the release date has been pushed back to 2013. Lately, fans of science fiction and fantasy in general have heard about countless films that have been pushed back, so this probably is not too concerning by itself. Nevertheless, Witchblade has already transitioned to the screen before, and everyone is probably curious if the previous adaptations will influence the new product at all.
In 2000, there was a made for TV movie that lead to the product of a television show. The movie was actually well received, and the television series that came immediately after it was also loved by a lot of fans. That being said, it received an early cancellation in 2002, and there are those that believe that some behind the scenes issues may have lead to that untimely end. In Japan, there have been both anime and manga adaptations of the series, though the Japanese versions feature a very different storyline. Nevertheless, both the Japanese and American television shows have received releases on DVD.
Whether either of these will influence the upcoming theatrical film remains to be seen, but it might be safe to assume that they will. Michael Rymer will be directing the movie. He is known as the director for a number of episodes from the 2004 version of Battlestar Galactica, and he also directed Queen of the Damned. Strangely, the film project ran into some trouble already. Everett De Roche, who wrote the script, left the project. This was apparently because of a dispute with Marc Silvestri.
It might also be interesting to see how the film handles certain overtones that are seen throughout the Witchblade franchise. Many Hollywood studios have had qualms in the past about such content, but at the same times, they might realize that fans do not want to be talked down to. At some point, studios have to understand that fans are often the ones who want to see these sorts of movies. Therefore, the individuals behind the movie will have a tough time maintaining a good balance of different themes.
Some recent films adapted from other properties have tried to reach out to a broader audience, and many directors talk about making content safe for an audience that was not originally familiar with the material. While this might seem to make commercial sense, it could be a route that would turn off many potential moviegoers to the Witchblade film. Loyal fans want to see a movie that adapts the material and sticks to the story. Even that might be difficult, though, when one considers that they have a variety of different plots to chose from. At least one thing is for certain though; the teaser poster is attractive.
I know I’m late to the party, but I just started getting really into the Witchblade graphic novels. I would love to see it become (another) movie!