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Stephen R. Sobotka, Jr. writes...
Hi again, Greg!
First let me say it's going to be a bummer in August. I'm coming to Orlando, but I'll miss the Gathering by two days. Ah, well... hope to see you next year in LA then.
I figure since I haven't asked a question in a while, I'd post a new one:
Considering the level of technology avalible to movie makers these days, and going on the assumption that you'd be given carte-blanche with a movie budget, if you were allowed to make a live-action movie about Gargoyles, would you consider the option of having the clan rendered as CGI creations (ie. - on the same level as Draco from Dragonheart)?
I have another post to follow...
Greg responds...
That is, as far as I know, part of Touchstone's current plan.
Zeliard (repost by Aris) writes...
Good day to you mr. Weisman.
Is the name Robert Angelo Masciantonio rings a bell to you? I don't want to start any rumors, but I saw his name and he's says he is working on a script called 'Gargoyles'.
It was on the pretty old websites (nearly a year ago): http://lavender.fortunecity.com/plan9/338/HP/news/apr99.html
http://www.drcasey.com/movies/articles/coldhearts.shtml
Note that on the second website he mentioned Gargoyle (no 's' at the end). Is this a possible Gargoyles movie; at least the Gargoyles WE know?
Thank you.
Greg responds...
I've never heard of the guy, which doesn't preclude the possibility that either
(a) he was at one point working on the Touchstone/Disney Live-Action adaptation of our GARGOYLES series...
or
(b) he was (and perhaps still is) working on a completely unrelated Gargoyle-based idea. After all, we didn't invent the concept of a gargoyle.
But if the answer is (a) then he is no longer working on the project. The current writer is named Simon Kinberg.
Lynn writes...
i just want to ask if there is a Gargoyle movie supposed to be coming out?
I herd some where that there was. Thanks your reading.
:)
Greg responds...
Guys, guys, do you see that there is an archive. Could you please attempt to at least peak at it before asking questions?!
Lynn, I don't mean to pick on you, but there is an entire archive dedicated to the LIVE-ACTION MOVIE. Try clicking there first. Then if you have any specific questions that the archive doesn't answer, please come back here and ask. But just on principle, I'm not going to answer this general querie yet again. Sorry.
Jason Ransleben writes...
Dear Greg, First off I wanted to tell you that Gargoyles is my all time favorite cartoon. I loved the twisting storylines that always kept me guessing what would happen next. Another reason I love the show so much is all the voice talent from actors/actresses that starred in Star Trek shows. I watch the show all the time on toon disney and I know the show was cancelled a while back. This brings me to my question. I was visiting a website called the internet movie database (www.imdb.com) and under Gargoyles it has listed several episodes or movies that were made in 1998 and 1999. I was wondering if you were involved with these and if you know where I could find them? Also I was recently in a blockbuster video and on their preview show they have running in the store there was a segment on gargoyles and it said there are 2 new movies coming out, again are you involved with these and do you know what it is about? Thank you for your time and effort and most of all thank you for creating the gargoyles.
Greg responds...
It sounds like your information is or was innacurate. There haven't been any new episodes since the 96-97 season of Goliath Chronicles. The first season was released on Home Video, but that was also some time ago. A new version of AWAKENING was edited together without my input and placed in a movie syndication package that can occasionally be seen on television. The original 65 episodes air on Toon Disney twice a night. Touchstone is developing a Live-Action Movie. But they don't have a useable script yet.
That's all I know of, and all I think there is to know.
Exolex (repost by Aris) writes...
Hi again Greg, this isn't a opinion, but just a question. What exactly do you know about the Gargoyles movie script? Because, aparently a critic read it and had this to say:
"I've followed this page from the get-go, and now I've finally decided to share my views on Devlin's script, which I read almost a year ago.
"Let's put it this way: I think both ID4 and Godzilla were execrable. The type of stuff that makes true movie-lover's bladders loosen and gives the likes of Woody Allen heart attacks.
"But Gargoyles, written in a sort of John-Hughes-meets-an action-film mode, is much, much worse.
"This thing is so preposterous, so inane, so stupid... I wouldn't even know where to start. Even bad scripts have ONE good moment. This has NONE. Nothing. It's a total bore and a complete embarrassment. Someone here said Scott Rosenberg is rewriting it. I'm all for that. I'd like some of his Bad Moon Rising dialogue to permeate this script. And maybe he'd give it some BALLS, which this film is severely lacking... as well as a brain.
"The story -- for those who care -- is this: A grotesque granite gargoyle is brought to New York by a rich architect to sit atop a perch on his favorite building. Since the thing is lifted above the clouds, its spell -- placed there by a queen long, long ago -- is lifted. The gargoyle is then awakened, accidentally, by a young boy, and the gargoyle -- Goliath (so named by the kid -- after he thought better of 'Arnold') -- assumes him to be a prince and his mother a queen.
"The cliches run rampant here: We have a group of kids picking on our shy, loner young boy (only to be saved by the Gargoyle); we have a gang of thugs trying to mug our group of characters on a train -- though there's no reason in hell that they should even BE on this train (only to be saved by the gargoyle); we have the single mother who is not ready to date and the guy that keeps trying for a date (unsuccessfully) and the flashback scenes where we see that the husband was killed during a mugging.
"What's most bizarre is how this thing becomes something close to a Disney Christmas special in the end. You see... this is yet another script involving the millenium and how evil will take over the world when we reach 2000. The main bad guy in the film has shown Goliath that he's not needed in this world. So Goliath sits back as the 'evil spirits and zombie army' takes over the city. And what gets him back into the fight?
"Seeing people come out for the annual New Year's party at Time Square even though it was cancelled because of the weather (as if this would happen!).
"Dean COULDN'T have thought this worked. There's even long speeches about how the world is a really good place and that we can pull together.
"Watch those Italian loafers, I'm going to vomit.
"My friends and I keep this script around for when we need a good laugh. All we have to do is randomly pick a piece of dialogue and we're in stitches. I also suggest this script for any of the unproduced screenwriters out there. One look at this and you'll have a renewed confidence you didn't think imaginable."
OK, so the $64,000 question is: if there's just one gargoyle in Devlin's script, why is it called Gargoyles??
Just though that it might be a point of intrest for you, if you didn't know anything about it. And in responce to another fan's responce to my earlier remarks, I never ever said what you made after Avalon was garbage, just not high calibur.
Greg responds...
I never read Devlin's script, but I heard from Touchstone that they weren't satisfied with it. Calling it "the Gargoyles movie script" at this point is innacurate. It's been OVER two years since Devlin left the project. Since then they have gone through at least three writers I know of. And these guys weren't rewriting Devlin's work. They were starting from scratch on their own versions. Now they have a new writer, who's also starting from scratch. Right now there is NO Gargoyle movie script, though they hope to have a first draft by October.
And of course, I don't agree with your assessment of the post-Avalon episodes.
CORRECTION
It just occured to me that I made a stupid mistake when answering the following question here at ASK GREG:
Lee writes...
For the upcomeing live action movie of GARGOYLES who would you chose as director? I would say Steven Spielberg or George Lucas.
________
I responded with...
I definitely would NOT chose either of those talented men. Personally, I would pick Jonathan Frakes. I thought STAR TREK: GENERATIONS was very well made. And I'd love to have someone directing the movie who actually gave a damn about where the thing came from. Just my opinion.
recorded on 07-10-00
Of course, I meant to say STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT. GENERATIONS didn't do much for me at all. (I enjoyed it in a nostalgic vein, but not really as a movie.) But I liked FIRST CONTACT, and thought Jonathan did a great job on it.
Sorry for any confusion.
A Gargoyles Live-Action Movie
In light of the release of the X-MEN movie I thought it would be appropriate to discuss a possible Gargoyles Live-Action Movie.
As most of you know, Disney/Touchstone has literally been developing this for years. So far with no success. But they're still plugging away at it and have hired a new screenwriter recently. I think the success of X-Men may help light a fire under them too.
But let me tell you a story. It was 1995. A Touchstone Executive named Todd Garner wanted to develop the Gargoyles series as a live-action feature. He was told he'd have to deal with Gary Krisel who, as President of Walt Disney TV Animation, had the property under his domain. Gary, in turn, strongly suggested that Todd develop the property with a couple of writers who were familiar with it: Greg Weisman & Michael Reaves. So Touchstone made a deal with Michael and I. We would be "co-producers" of the film. And they gave us a shot at writing the treatment, i.e. the outline for the story. We did that, more or less. Our approach was rejected, more or less, by Todd's bosses at Touchstone. Todd started us on a new approach. Then Gary Krisel announced he was leaving Disney. Very quickly, Michael and I were moved off the project. We're still "co-producers". But that means next-to-nothing. Todd's no longer at Touchstone. In fact, the projects gone through at least five executives I can think of and six writers that I know of. But I'm not exactly in the loop. Still I have a pleasant enough relationship with Jim Wedaa, who's working with the movie's attached producer. So I call him for updates periodically. He promises that if they ever get a script they like, they'll send it to me. I'm not holding my breath. But you never know.
Anyway, I thought it might be an interesting subject of discussion to reveal what Michael & I had planned for the movie. I feel safe revealing this, since I know it's not going to be used.
Keep in mind, we all felt that we needed to start the continuity over from scratch. The series (which was still in production at the time) would have it's own continuity. The movie continuity would exist in a kind of parallel universe. Hopefully, it would all be emotionally the same. But details would differ. We wanted to simplify the complex plotting a bit. (Not make it unintelligent, just clean it up a bit.) We wanted to leave room open for sequels. But we wanted to tell one GREAT story, as if we'd only ever get one shot.
That story would, more or less, be AWAKENING.
But we made some changes.
For starters, we put Macbeth in charge of Castle Wyvern. In one version he had the Magus by his side. In another, the Archmage. In yet a third, we made Macbeth himself a bit of a sorceror king. At any rate, Katharine became his daughter. I know this sounds treasonous. But doing this allowed us to simplify all sorts of backstory, and allowed us (at least in the nefarious backs of our minds) to plan for a Macbeth sequel. And an Avalon sequel with Katharine and the eggs.
We also were forced to ditch the notion of the Gargoyles not having names. There wasn't time to explore it unfortunately, and it is a complicated idea. Goliath remained Goliath. Demona was Angel. Lexington became Alexander (but still Lex for short). Hudson became "Mentor" in one draft. "Soldier" in another. And a fifth prominent character was Othello. Brooklyn, Bronx and Broadway had cameos in the eleventh century flashback that more-or-less opened the film.
Once we got to the present, we had Xanatos, Sevarius and Owen. They awaken three gargoyles: Goliath, Lex and Othello. They tell them that as far as they know these three are the only three that survived. Elisa is introduced, but she doesn't meet Goliath right away. She investigates a number of strange incidents and mysterious reports (with Matt's help and under Chavez's command). She discovers the secret of the Gargoyles over time. Then Elisa and Goliath both take time to learn to trust each other. The whole Cyberbiotics plot is there but simplified. Demona resurfaces and basically becomes the main villain in the movie. (In an earlier draft, we saved her to be a main villain in a sequel.) Othello doesn't fair too well in the present. (Thus setting up a possible Coldstone sequel.) Xanatos runs a whole series of tests on Goliath, (setting up a Thailog sequel). Goliath, Elisa and Lex manage to triumph over their opponents (which included Steel Clan Robots and Xanatos in his Gargoyle-Armor). In the epilogue, they find a cache of additional undestroyed gargoyles: Hudson/Mentor/Soldier, Brooklyn, Broadway and Bronx (and in one draft, Angel/Demona). The movie ends on a hopeful note as these new Gargs are awakened.
Obviously, I'm not attempting to tell a coherent story above, but to show you what our strategy was. We were going to start over. Use a clean, straightforward story. Focus on the KEY Goliath/Elisa relationship. Intro elements that could be used for sequels but didn't require you to already know history. And didn't distract from the single big story we were trying to tell in THIS movie. There'd be a lot of tasty tidbits for diehard fans of the show. But we'd still have a brand new story that a new audience could follow.
That was the plan.
Of course, I have no idea what Touchstone's current plan is. But no matter what they do, I'm rooting for the movie. Because that movie is the surest way for us to get the series back on the air.
Laura aka 'ad astra' writes...
Glad to see Ask Greg running again! I had downloaded the old archives, (or most of them) sometime last year. I checked periodically and it seemed the page was down. I gave up on the Ask Greg page and only checked it again on a lark. It took me weeks to read through everything!
Oh, a question-
You seem to have a much more optimistic view on the series coming back then when last I checked in. Has something changed? To be more precise- Before you seemed to say "long shot at best for the series in any form, even the live action movie seems dead". Now the movie doesn't sound dead, and the long term revival hopes good, (lost the quote, sorry). I am much heartened, and almost as curious.
I have many more questions to follow, but for now I want to say thank you for doing this, and thanks to Gorebash for running it.
Greg responds...
The movie isn't a lost cause. It hasn't progressed an inch really, but normally after this much time that would result in its death. They'd give up. But they absolutely haven't given up. In fact, they've just hired a NEW writer. Touchstone/Disney REALLY, REALLY wants to make this movie. So that keeps me optimistic. (And the success of X-Men doesn't hurt either.)
I don't love that Toon Disney is editing episodes and refuses to air "Deadly Force". But they ARE airing the show about twice a day. That gives me hope.
I haven't given up in any way, shape or form. I'm still in there trying to come up with ways to bring the show back in some, well, way, shape or form. In fact, I've got a new nefarious plan in the works now with Doug Murphy, a former GARGOYLES (and BAD GUYS) storyboard artist. Too soon to talk about now, but give me time.
The response here at ASK GREG is overwhelming. That means fan interest still exists. And I'm VERY heartened by the continuing success of the GATHERINGS. That gives me hope.
In fact, people ask me what they can do to help bring the show back, and what has become clear to me is that the best single way a fan can help is by attending one or more GATHERINGS. Aside from the sheer FUN FACTOR of the convention, it is the raw numbers in attendance that will help me prove to the powers that be at Disney that the show is still viable and ready to return. Come to Orlando next month. PLEASE. It's gonna be GREAT. Guests include myself, Thom Adcox, Brad Rader and Greg Guler.
And without doubt, plan to come to next years GATHERING in Los Angeles. I guarantee we will have over twenty members of the cast and crew in attendance. And if the fan attendance numbers are big enough, we will bring Disney Execs and show them first hand the opportunity they are missing out on. Do NOT MISS THAT ONE if you want to see the show back on the air.
Bubbles writes...
Hey I'm a realy big fan of Gargoyles and I have two questions.
1. I was just wondering if it were true that there is a Gargoyle movie being made?
2. Do you think that Disney or who ever will ever ask you and your crew to make Gargoyles again?
Thanks for you time!
Greg responds...
1. Yes. It's in development at Touchstone pictures. They have a new writer, Simon Kinberg, who should turn in a first draft script in October.
2. I hope so. I think so too.
Lee writes...
For the upcomeing live action movie of GARGOYLES who would you chose as director? I would say Steven Spielberg or George Lucas
Greg responds...
I definitely would NOT chose either of those talented men. Personally, I would pick Jonathan Frakes. I thought STAR TREK: GENERATIONS was very well made. And I'd love to have someone directing the movie who actually gave a damn about where the thing came from. Just my opinion.
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