The Graysons are Coming to The CW

[docdelorean88]

I understand that you don't think smallville works(though i thoroughly disagree), many people i know (Both superhero fans and non) think it is a waste of time.Your post was simply the thing that set off the chain reaction of my thoughts. So, i quoted you.  ^_^

[Podmark]

I think Smallville is a terrible show...that I still find enjoyable. I often attribute this to the strong acting and chemistry of Michael Rosenbaum, Tom Welling, Allison Mack and John Glover. Yes two of them are gone but they offset that with removing Lana, the single worst thing about the show.

As for the Graysons...well whats the hook? Whats interesting about pre-robin? Young Bruce would probably work better.

[Uncle Yuan]

they offset that with removing Lana, the single worst thing about the show.

Well, she was nice to look at . . .

As for the Graysons...well whats the hook? Whats interesting about pre-robin? Young Bruce would probably work better.

Actually, that would be really cool.  Do some away at boarding school things, some home with Alfred things, some traveling and learning things . . .

[Talavar]

Wasn't Young Bruce Wayne the original pitch that turned into Smallville?  I thought I had read that somewhere, and that Warner Bros. nixed it because of other interests in the Batman property.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Good news one and all

"The Graysons" have been canned before the show even made it into production.  From what I gather, it may have not even got into the casting phase.

The following is an excerpt from Variety.  Variety is an industry trade publication, by the way. 

According to studio insiders, Robinov has decreed that Warner Bros. "rethink its DC Comics strategy" and as a result didn't want to do anything big with a DC franchise at the moment -- at least when it came to "Graysons."

"The studio has opted not to go forward with the development of 'The Graysons' at this time as the concept doesn't fit the current strategy for the Batman franchise," the studio said in a statement. "Warner Bros. Television is currently working on several replacement options for the CW."

It's understood that "The Dark Knight" helmer Christopher Nolan never signed off on the TV show; one insider said the helmer was uncomfortable with having a TV show related to the Batman franchise on the air. But according to the studio, the decision to scrap the show rested solely on Robinov and not Nolan.

[BentonGrey]

I suppose Graysons didn't fit their "turn everything dark" plan for their properties.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I think the Graysons is one of those rare ideas that don't fit into anyone's plans.  I mean, what vision of Batman could this ever possibly fit into?

[The Hitman]

I mean, what vision of Batman could this ever possibly fit into?

Joel Schummaker?

[BWPS]

I mean, what vision of Batman could this ever possibly fit into?

Joel Schummaker?

I KNOW OF NO SUCH PERSON!

[BentonGrey]

I mean, what vision of Batman could this ever possibly fit into?

Joel Schummaker?

I KNOW OF NO SUCH PERSON!

Haha........haha.....this absolutely made my day.

[Panther_Gunn]

Apparently this was watched over by the same benevolent diety as the Nick Cage Superman project.  Too bad we didn't get that kind of oversight on Catwoman.  Maybe it's on a limited number of bad idea kills, and it wasn't deemed important enough to use them all up.

[Midnite]

The CW & Warner Bros. TV Scrap Graysons
:thumbup:

[Panther_Gunn]

The one-hour "Graysons" was to be set in modern times and focus on young DJ as he faced challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family -- a famous juggling act -- as he grew up.

<_<

Please tell me that was a screw-up on behalf of the person making the report, not anything potentially official.  Because being a juggler *definitely* prepares you to be a Batman-like crime fighter.   <_<

[BentonGrey]

Juggling act?  Well, just another reason to be glad this thing died a quick death.

[cmdrkoenig67]

The CW & Warner Bros. TV Scrap Graysons
:thumbup:

Thank Dog! 

If they need a soap-ish series that will be aimed at teens...

I still think a LSH teen show would be more interesting (teens are teens, no matter what century they live in...And there's a whole mob of characters there), than a Pre-Robin Dick Grayson series (Just...UGH!)...Not that I'd watch either.

A Marvel live-action teen-aged Spider-Man series might be really fun.

How about the original New Warriors (Night Trasher, Firestar, Marvel Boy/Justice, Nova, Speedball, Namorita, Rage, Silhouette), live-action Teen Titans (with Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy, Aqualad and Wonder Girl) or maybe the original teen-aged X-Men (without Wolverine, please)?

Dana

[MJB]

*examines thread*

I don't think that I've expressed my feelings toward this subject so here it goes.

My knee jerk reaction was that this show would be horrible. That being said, I thought the same thing when I heard the pitch for "Smallville". Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed the first couple seasons of Smallville. Later seasons were horrible.

Was I looking forward to this series? No. Would I have tuned in regularly? No.

Bottom line on my front, no harm, no foul. :P

-MJB

[RTTingle]

It's understood that "The Dark Knight" helmer Christopher Nolan never signed off on the TV show; one insider said the helmer was uncomfortable with having a TV show related to the Batman franchise on the air. But according to the studio, the decision to scrap the show rested solely on Robinov and not Nolan.

Yeah, I have no idea why Nolan would be even involved in this... it would be set well before anything to do with Batman and he's always said there will be no Robin in his Universe.  So I don't buy Nolan being an excuse either.

Hmmmmm.  CW is looking for another idea, eh?  I kinda' fancy a LSH spinoff, that would be something else?  Hmmmmm.  Of course, I'd love to pitch Sandman Mystery Theater to them.

RTT.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Yeah, I have no idea why Nolan would be even involved in this

Warner Bros. tends to agressively protect the movie versions of their comic properties, to the point that all other versions of related characters are subservient to them.  If Nolan thought The Grayson's would reflect poorly on any future Batman movies, that would carry a lot of weight.

[RTTingle]

Yeah, I have no idea why Nolan would be even involved in this

Warner Bros. tends to agressively protect the movie versions of their comic properties, to the point that all other versions of related characters are subservient to them.  If Nolan thought The Grayson's would reflect poorly on any future Batman movies, that would carry a lot of weight.

I don't buy it.  I don't think Nolan wouldn't care about other things Batman related --- as long as there wasn't another direct theatrical Batman movie.  Example, of all the troubles of the purported JLA movie, Nolan wasn't one of them.  I think Nolan is intelligent and secure enough to know that a Graysons TV series would have no affect whatsoever on his Batmanverse.  If that was true... why have a silver age tip of the hat cartoon of Batman on tv???  I think Nolan has a keen grasp on how, for this character especially, there are so many variations --- that several of the could co-exist just fine without having a negative effect on the other.

I think it's interesting when new ideas are proposed and most everybody shoots them down and at the same time complain about the lack of unique shows.  I would at least have given Graysons a shot.

I think sometimes they have it backward.  The 80's Superboy, the JLA pilot, Lois & Clark, The Flash, SwampThing, The Human Target, Birds of Prey, Smallville, the Aquaman Pilot... no matter how bad --- can never detract the popularity of the characters or preventing other incarnations.  I don't think it can ever be shown that those tv shows ever had a negative impact upon the characters themselves.

I think the real culprit is the negative response to this.  No more, no less.

[thalaw2]

Even bad publicity is good publicity.   :P

[BentonGrey]

Well, I think to a point that is true, but not necessarily.  Take Aquaman, for example.  He is a character who is pretty widely known thanks to Superfriends, but at the same time, he has a huge image problem to overcome because of that show.  Anyway, I'd hardly call The Graysons a 'new' idea RTT.  It was very derivative, just taking a formula they knew worked and attaching it to another property that was popular, albeit in an incredibly shortsighted way.  People in this thread have proposed many ideas with much more imagination than that bit of corporate dross.

[RTTingle]

Anyway, I'd hardly call The Graysons a 'new' idea RTT.  It was very derivative, just taking a formula they knew worked and attaching it to another property that was popular, albeit in an incredibly shortsighted way.

Actually, I think the idea behind Graysons is much better than what Smallville is and became.  My opinion, it better suits the Graysons idea.  How often did Smallville use the freak of the week and kryptonite as a crutch?  All these strange things happening in a small farm town week after week?  Yet its managed to pull out for how many seasons?  It just seemed more like a Sci-Fi Channel tv series to me than it did Superboy.

Now, take that same formula and apply it to a young man in a traveling circus.  I can find it much easier to stomach and believe.  First, it's not tied down to just one town.  So I can believe the strangeness happening all over, wherever they may be --- plus circuses and carnivals just seem to ATTRACT weirdness.  They can travel the country, quite possibly the world and come across the strangeness.  The freak of the weeks won't always be Kryptonite induced or aliens... and could have many various backgrounds.  In Graysons it would seem a lot more natural and believable for all these far fetched characters.

While I dont think Graysons would have been unique... I think everything they do on Smallville for the most part --- would be a much better fit for Graysons.

Is the idea totally unique?  Of course not --- no idea really is.  But it not being a major character I think was different and was interesting.  Honestly, the pitched idea was supposed to be Bruce Wayne as a young man anyways --- so really... the idea kind of comes full circle.  While the idea is similiar, I'm pretty sure Graysons would have built up in its own way and grown differently... much like Aquaman may have if that was given the chance.

Anyways --- its all just speculation and opinions anyway.  :)  Someone get me the Women's Entertainment Channel on the line, I think I can sell them on the idea of Sandman Mystery Theater as a series.  ;)

RTT