EXCLUSIVE: AN INTERVIEW WITH DC'S GREGORY NOVECK

Gregory Noveck, Senior Vice President Creative Affairs for DC Comics, is, among other things, the liaison between DC and Warner Bros., integral in the process of finding appropriate properties for the studio to adapt as features and television series. What follows is an excerpt from a recent interview Voices From Krypton conducted with him, which looks at the relationship between the two entities and moves into discussions of the idea of multiple actors playing characters like Superman and Batman simultaneously, and why Tom Welling won't be playing the Man of Steel in Justice League.

VOICES FROM KRYPTON: When one of these film or TV projects gets going, how strong is the connection between DC and the studio?
GREGORY NOVECK: As I’ve grown in the job, it’s gotten more and more. It’s not necessarily a testament to me, it’s more an understanding that we bring a lot to the table. It’s also on a case-by-case basis and it’s really driven by the filmmakers. In the case of Christopher Nolan and Bryan Singer, they really want to know what DC thinks. Zack Snyder on Watchmen has been phenomenal. So the studio kind of responds to the filmmaker. In the last several years, even with Al and Miles on Smallville, they’ve hired people who actually have a reverence for the material and it all kind of drives from there. On Watchmen they ask for any kind of material we have that they can use for reference, because they really want to match the look and feel of those characters. We’re very involved in all of this stuff. I’m not going to sit here and say, “Bryan took all of these tips from me,” because that’s not true. I think certainly we’re in a much different place than we were with Batman & Robin or Catwoman. The thing that needs to be kept in mind is that beyond the actual film or TV show, there’s a global brand to be managed here and DC is in the unique position of knowing where the vast majority of all of the moving parts are.
VOICES FROM KRYPTON: Do you guys ever throw up red flags when something doesn’t seem right? I’m not sure what your feeling was about Superman Returns. My feeling has been that it was good, but it should have been great.
GREGORY NOVECK: If they wanted to make Superman’s cape blue, for example, we’d say, “You can’t do that.” If they wanted it where Clark Kent never wears glasses, that’s an issue. If the relationship between Lois and Clark felt false, we could comment on that. It’s not that we can’t say, “Hey, could there be more action in this movie?” We can, but it’s not really our call, it’s up to the filmmaker. The thing about Superman Returns is that at the end of the day it’s a recognizable Superman and a recognizable Superman movie. There’s nothing in the movie except where maybe the strictest fans would say, “Superman would never do that.” If you’d seen the previous iterations of the script, from my standpoint we were really successful. Is it at the same level of movie that Batman Begins was? Probably not, but it’s a different animal, yet both of those are recognizable as those characters.
VOICES FROM KRYPTON: I’ve read some of those earlier versions of the Superman script – Tim Burton as director? Nicolas Cage as Superman? What were they thinking? Even earlier today, there was the Hollywood Reporter story where they’re saying that 19 and 20 years olds are auditioning for Justice League. Does that kind of thing concern you guys at all?
GREGORY NOVECK: Don’t believe everything you read. Some of it may be true, some of it may not be. But I can tell you they’re not casting a 19-year-old as Superman. Most of the actors they’re looking at are in their late ‘20s.
VOICES FROM KRYPTON: And then there are all of those Internet rumors about Tom Welling being cast as Superman…
GREGORY NOVECK: Not happening, if for no other reason than it would just confuse the issue.
VOICES FROM KRYPTON: And if that’s the case, I wonder why they wouldn’t just use Brandon Routh again.
GREGORY NOVECK: I think part of it is that the character is larger than the actor. If you look at Batman, Superman and Justice League as separate franchises, if all of a sudden you have Brandon in it but you don’t have Christian, then what movie is it? I think you have to have it stand on its own. I’m just speculating, but if I’m the director of this movie, I don’t want to have to be too careful of another director’s iteration of a character. If I use his actor, then I’m kind of beholden to it. What if George Miller hired Brandon and Christian, but he wanted Brandon to really play Superman tougher and wanted Christian to show more humanity, then all of a sudden you’re entering very strange creative territory. The same is true of using Tom Welling. I think ultimately it’s a better movie if you have different actors to keep the iterations of the characters distinct. The example I’ve been using is, is it the Mike Mignolia Batman versus the Frank Miller Batman? It’s still Batman, they’re just different versions of it. I think when we start to open up the films with that kind of lens, where you can say, “These are all Superman, but they’re different versions” – even from Tom Welling to Brandon Routh, right? – that’s pretty cool.
VOICES FROM KRYPTON: I guess Smallville fans imagined the show would end and that cast would make the leap to the big screen and Tom would become Superman. But then you get Brandon Routh on the big screen, so you make that separation. But now we have to accept a second movie version in Justice League…
GREGORY NOVECK: I don’t really see it as a conflict. And it’s better for the actors, frankly. If there are a couple of guys playing Batman or Superman, at least those guys don’t get pigeon-holed for the rest of their careers.

READ PART 2 OF OUR INTERVIEW WITH GREGORY NOVECK BY CLICKING HERE.

CHECK OUT OUR SISTER-SITE, JUSTICE LEAGUE ON FILM BY CLICKING HERE.

Comments

[Andrew Gancsos]

To the WB and anyone else who reads this: This is TERRIBLE. Casting Welling would "Confuse the issue" but casting a third Superman wouldn't? This is a contradiction and completely illogical. As much as I was looking forward to this movie, you guys just killed it for me. Miller as the Director? cool. Weta involved. cool. Casting a bunch of kids? bad idea. This isn't some Power Rangers movie, this is the Justice League of America! They are collaboration of DC Comic's most epic and power superheroes. I am beyond irritated with this news. This movie had so much potential, and now not only have you just alienated millions of Smallville fans, you're about to alienate millions and millions more of your basic comic fans. These characters are essentially middle-aged adults, not a bunch of early aged adults. I just cannot express how unbelievably saddening this is. I wish you good luck with your film, but don't expect the fans to back your choices because I for one am not going to spend money on a film that at its very core against one of the many building blocks of this union of characters. You guys gave this generation two Supermen, Tom Welling and Brandon Routh. One of them should have been in this film and by not casting one of them to the role you will have alienated millions of countless Superman fans. The JLA deserves better than this. Every one of these characters deserve better. This is in all honesty, very disappointing.

[SueB]

Tom Welling was the right guy for the role. This argument about Smallville versus JLA makes no sense to me as the two are at different times. Further, Smallville is slated to end no later than an 8th season, which is before the movie comes out. This interview looks like a move to provide a smoke screen on what really happened to the casting. No matter what Gough says, I'm still blaming him. Gough was very quick to try and squelch the rumor (perhaps he felt S8 of Smallville was in jeopardy).

In any case, no matter what the real reason behind the decision to find yet a third Superman, it's the wrong call.

[Mike Dotson]

This is a HUGE mistake. The audience will just get confused if not have a "Why are there different supermen?" attitude, which is what happend with the batman franchise. The general audience will confuse the continuity of all the films. Tom Welling should have been cast as Superman, and older actors for the rest of the parts. This isnt "Teen Titans", this is "Justice Leauge of America".

[Pat]

Is *anybody* thinking at Warner Bros? I mean seriously? You've got a goose that's been laying golden eggs for Warner Entertainment that's nearing the end of its life, you've got a star with a demonstrated appeal that crosses all ages, genders and ethnicities, you've got polls indicating the general public sees logic in casting him as Superman - never mind the millions of fans that have been begging for that - and you guys pass on him because you think it'll be too confusing? Are you people for real? No wonder Marvel keeps wiping the floors with you guys.

I thought Warners was in business to *make* money, but apparently you'd rather ignore the very people that want to fork it over to you. Instead, you guys are in business to fund your director's "visions" with pay or play deals, spend marketing dollars like drunken sailors, and then wonder why it takes three months to crawl to a $200 million dollar box office when your competition are putting out crowd pleasers that do it in ten days. Sony, Disney, Dreamworks, Fox? They actually listen to their audience. But Warners? Nope. That sound you hear? That's everybody laughing at you.

"Confusing" my butt. You guys think too much. Learn from your mistakes for once and listen to the public; they don't sound "confused." In fact, most people seem to know exactly what they DO and DON'T want to see. The evidence is there; open your eyes. Please?

[DeAndre]

I'm glad Tom Welling won't be Superman. I just don't think he looks like him. However, this Justice League movie sounds like a joke. They should just wait a few years and do it with Brandon Routh and Christian Bale.

[Rogzilla]

Am I the only person who understands what he is saying? I got it and I agree!

1-By casting Welling as Superman, you have to accept Smallville as your origin for the character. I enjoy the show but it isn't my Superman origin. If you don't accept it as your canon...well you will confuse the issue.

2-You limit the options of the director who may or may not have casted Welling in the first place. Smallville casting had certain requirements for Clark Kent. Miller may have a different idea. Should the story he wants to tell (wether it is good or bad when released) be limited by other's casting?

3-In an ensemble cast, you don't want one lead like that. Every other character would get lost in Welling's shadow. It would turn into HIS movie, and if it wasn't, people would complain.

Pretty much, you cast Tom, you get "Smallville the movie" no matter what. Some people may want that...but I don't think that should be THIS movie.

The same goes to casting Routh! It becomes Superman Returns 2. Does Miller want to do that? No! He wants to do Justice League. This would be like saying Nolan should have done a Batman sequel/prequel instead of a reboot. Oh well, I guess people don't like originality.

Come, join me in the optimistic corner. We have punch and pie!

[Rogzilla]

Am I the only person who understands what he is saying? I got it and I agree!

1-By casting Welling as Superman, you have to accept Smallville as your origin for the character. I enjoy the show but it isn't my Superman origin. If you don't accept it as your canon...well you will confuse the issue.

2-You limit the options of the director who may or may not have casted Welling in the first place. Smallville casting had certain requirements for Clark Kent. Miller may have a different idea. Should the story he wants to tell (wether it is good or bad when released) be limited by other's casting?

3-In an ensemble cast, you don't want one lead like that. Every other character would get lost in Welling's shadow. It would turn into HIS movie, and if it wasn't, people would complain.

Pretty much, you cast Tom, you get "Smallville the movie" no matter what. Some people may want that...but I don't think that should be THIS movie.

The same goes to casting Routh! It becomes Superman Returns 2. Does Miller want to do that? No! He wants to do Justice League. This would be like saying Nolan should have done a Batman sequel/prequel instead of a reboot. Oh well, I guess people don't like originality.

Come, join me in the optimistic corner. We have punch and pie!

[Van Banoovong]

They are taking the similar approach that DC Comics is using when they're now putting out original animated movies based on their stories with different interpretations of the DC superheroes like Superman. For example, the Superman from the Doomsday movie is not the same character from the Justice League New Frontier movie. It's variety here.

By the time the Justice League movie comes out, Smallville would have ended by then provided if it gets an 8th season. We'll still have two live-action Superman in 2009.

If Tom Welling got casted as Superman for the Justice League movie, then Smallville would have to lead up to the Justice League movie instead of the Superman solo movies.

[Janice]

1 - Flinging crap at a wall is original. That doesn't make it wise.

2 - Miller doesn't want to make Justice League. He wants to make Teen Titans.

You fail DC. Over and over again. Has any corporation ever hated their fans so much?

[Paul]

Not casting Welling doesn't make the least bit of sense. You confused the audience enough by casting another actor for Superman Returns, its just going to get worse with Justice League. Plus Smallville is still on the air!

Cast Welling already. Noveck you are an idiot.