DC's "Teen Titans" is the latest superhero group to get their own movie project. Naturally, the embryonic movie is in development at Warner Bros.
I have good news and bad news about this.
The bad news: Akiva Goldsman is one of the producers. Goldsman was the writer on "Batman and Robin" and "Lost in Space" before reversing the downward spiral and winning an Oscar for his screenplay for "A Beautiful Mind". In my mind superheroes and Akiva don't mix. Sorry dude but I call 'em as I see 'em.
The good news: Mark Verheiden is writing the screenplay for "Teen Titans". Verheiden is one of the writers/producers on Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica" series. He also did the same dual duty on "Smallville" but where he cut his teeth was writing Dark Horse Comics' first series of "Aliens" and "Predator" comic books back in the late 1980s/early 1990s. He's a great writer and he's got an excellent understanding of what works in comic book universes.
Goldsman told "The Hollywood Reporter" that the "Teen Titans" movie will be closer in tone to such superhero films as "Batman Begins", "Superman Returns" and "Watchmen" and nothing like the '90s dreck he delivered. Well, we'll see. Maybe the Oscar on his mantle will serve as a reminder that more is expected of him these days.
No word was given as to what the team roster would be. They could stick with keeping the Teen Titans all sidekicks of existing superheroes (i.e. Robin, Aqualad, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Speedy) or add some of the original Titans introduced in the comic book series (Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, Jericho.) My guess is that it will be a mixture of both since the recent (and very popular) Cartoon Network series included Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven in its lineup.
[Image Credit: © Cartoon Network]
