ROTTEN TOMATOES: Lionsgate Squashes the "Black Widow"

Lionsgate Squashes the "Black Widow"

by Scott Weinberg | June 06, 2006

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Fearing an "action-chick" bomb not unlike "Ultraviolet," "Aeon Flux," or "Elektra," Lionsgate has bailed on plans to bring Marvel's "Black Widow" to the big screen, much to the chagrin of screenwriter David Hayter, who's been plugging away on the project for quite some time.

From IGN FilmForce: "Hayter told IGN that after Lionsgate dropped Black Widow, "Marvel and I then spoke to a few other financing entities, but I never felt comfortable that we had found a place that was willing to take the movie, and the character, seriously."

He continued, "I have put it aside until a reputable studio comes along, but in the meantime, I am heartbroken. I love this character, I love the story/world we came up with for her, and I sincerely hope the movie gets done some day. In the meantime, I am creating an original feature to shoot next year."

Black Widow was to be a contemporary and realistic espionage adventure that would have taken the Black Widow into Kazakhstan, to the Red Room and beyond."

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David Hayter's previous films include "X-Men," "X2," and "The Scorpion King."

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Celeb:	David Hayter
Movie:	Black Widow
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	Ultraviolet

(1-10 of 10 posts) | Reply

elziard writes:
on Jun 06 2006 08:38 AM

don't forget to add bloodrayne to this list of bombs...

(Reply to this)

darth_nevets writes:
on Jun 06 2006 12:03 PM

too bad for Hayter, always thought he was undervalued

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Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Jun 06 2006 12:37 PM

Same thing happened to fantasy movies in the 80's. So many bad ones came out and bombed that no one thought it was a viable movie genre until lo' and behold LoTR came in an blew everyone away. A female action movie could be really good but it's all the crap ones that prevent that from happening.

Then again there is probably something about a hot chick in an action movie that tends to draw a certain type of director/writer isn't there? Hmmm...

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UweBoll writes:
on Jun 06 2006 01:07 PM

God I would have never guessed Black widow was based on a Marvel's comic!!

The 80's movie was bloody fantastic and both Theresa Russell & Debra Winger were awesome in it but I can't believe its based on an action comic, surely a mistake from RT?

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Aoiboy writes:
on Jun 06 2006 01:24 PM

I think this is a mistake from RT. That Black Widow movie starring Winger and Russell has to do with the Marvel character... right ? Anyway, that movie was great, yeah...
Here's hoping that if Wonder Woman ever gets made, it will break that trend of bombs starring hot chicks in action movies...

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HoneycombSAFARI writes:
on Jun 06 2006 02:03 PM

everyone is forghetting the biggest action-chick movie bomb of all time- the almighty Catwoman!

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taran72 writes:
on Jun 06 2006 03:53 PM

They are coming to their senses! Too bad it's about three movies too late.

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Scott Weinberg writes:
on Jun 06 2006 03:55 PM

Nah, it wasn't a mistake. There's no connection between the Marvel character and the Debra Winger flick ... but I needed a pic to put in there! ;)

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dylan21484nj writes:
on Jun 06 2006 08:49 PM

now if only someone will stop the next Resident Evil movie from being made...

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t-joint writes:
on Jun 07 2006 01:56 AM

In reply to this comment (#837516)
Scott, you sneaky devil, you!

Still, if there's so much fear in the industry of flops nowadays that viable movies are cancelled and studios refuse to have critics pre-screen the ones that do get made, WHY DON'T THEY CONCENTRATE ON MAKING BETTER MOVIES!!!!

Or is that just too obvious? I guess they really ascribe to the Elbert Hubbard saying: "To escape criticism - say nothing, do nothing, be nothing."

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