Whedonesque : Comments on 19142 : Maxim interview with Joss.

Oh good I was hoping someone would post this. This was one of the better press tour interviews. Joss' comments about the third X-Men movie are most interesting. But I don't think there's any real spoilers for Dollhouse, are there?

Simon | February 17, 23:39 CET

A very good interview. Really focused and informative as to what Joss' views are about several parts of his work. I especially liked the bit about the proposed Kitty Pryde movie, and the few bits about 'Cabin'.

dark_tyler | February 18, 00:08 CET

I love the JJ Abrams question.

I don't see Kitty Pryde being a movie headlining character -- she's Joss' particular fetish. If there was a way to put her as part of a very limited ensemble of Marvel characters, maybe, but not a Kitty Pryde movie.

KingofCretins | February 18, 00:11 CET

Pretty good interview. I like the reference to the (I assume) slightly indie, slightly deconstructive "grad-school sensibilities" of Cabin (I don't wanna say 'slightly navel gazing', maybe ... 'contemplative' is better ;). It's not new news but every time I read either of them putting it a different way it grows more intriguing.

... actually, can you explode from intrigue ? Cos maybe I should stop reading Drew/Joss interviews, just in case.

(and me and Big Purp are totally sympatico re: the 437 crossover tie-in comic story. It makes me think dark thoughts about comics companies)

Saje | February 18, 00:13 CET

Good interview, but I was expecting to see photos of Joss in lingerie.

jcs | February 18, 00:14 CET

Well, they did airbrush out his second head.

Saje | February 18, 00:15 CET

So are there any spoilers?

Simon | February 18, 00:17 CET

ETA: Well, clearly, otherwise it wouldn't have a tag ;-) [/ETA].

Not for 'Dollhouse' IMO (the truly phobic might see the second picture of Eliza/Echo/who-knows in the woods as spoilery ? Picture's not new to this interview though). Also the info about the feel of the first 6 episodes, that there's not much arc stuff in them - also not new, also pretty thin IMO but for the totally averse, maybe ...

And casting info for Cabin (but it's not new to this interview either).

[ edited by Saje on 2009-02-18 00:24 ]

Saje | February 18, 00:24 CET

I didn't see any

Let Down | February 18, 00:25 CET

I guess the big spoiler is that Joss Whedon is J.J. Abrams, because I hadn't known that.

And I could totally see a Kitty Pryde movie starring Ellen Page being a huge cross over hit, a big blockbuster movie that gets the attention of those who go to independent films (maybe it would even open at Sundance Film Festival!).

I'm getting very excited about Cabin in the Woods!

embers | February 18, 00:36 CET

Ellen Page is not Kitty Pride. I'm sorry, but Kitty is way cooler and pretty than her. Joss is totally right though that she deserves a movie, and that he should have gotten paid for that horrid thing that was X3. Of course it would have been nice if they had done it well in the movie...

SteppeMerc | February 18, 01:47 CET

Well, I don't know anything about the comics, but I think Ellen Page would make a great superhero because she could bring some humanity to the character.

fortunateizzi | February 18, 01:51 CET

Ellen Page already played Kitty Pride, I don't know if she signed a multi-movie contract, but they usually do just in case they are needed in future X-men films.

embers | February 18, 02:00 CET

I know she played Kitty, but she was mediocre at best at the role. it may be the characterization, but she is not at all like how Joss writes Kitty (and that is really the only one that matters to me).

SteppeMerc | February 18, 02:11 CET

Ellen Page is not Kitty Pride. I'm sorry, but Kitty is way cooler and pretty than her.

Ellen Page not pretty? Are you insane?

Let Down | February 18, 02:11 CET

Sigh. I am not saying she isn't attractive. She just isn't nearly as pretty as the majority of the Whedonverse women, especially Summer (but then no mortal can compare to Summer). But Page doesn't match Kitty's appearance. She doesn't have brown hair like Kitty, she has black hair, and judging from how she is illustrated in Astonishing X-men, she is not the same "type" of attractiveness as Ellen Page. Maybe its because I sort of found her character really annoying in that movie where she sells her child to the chick from Alias. Or maybe its because the way that Joss writes women.

edit: Now that I look at the pictures, her hair may well be one of the biggest issues I have with her playing Kitty. Kitty's hair is not only brown but wavy, unlike her straight, black hair. People may scoff at a seemingly insignificant detail, but I think its important.

[ edited by SteppeMerc on 2009-02-18 02:19 ]

[ edited by SteppeMerc on 2009-02-18 02:22 ]

[ edited by SteppeMerc on 2009-02-18 02:25 ]

SteppeMerc | February 18, 02:17 CET

So Kitty was introduced during my "year off" between uni & grad school. I'd gotten hazy on the exact timing.

So this explains, I'd "mimagione," what someone once mentioned about Joss's not liking Marvel continuity fetishism. I can see his point; my withdrawal from comics was gradual and so I didn't like that sort of thing back then. Then again, some cyberfriends who still read comics have said DC goes too far in the opposite direction. Funny thing about a happy medium, nobody ever seems to find it.

From what I've read in show-biz books, working with someone you're a fan of does often work out well. So, we have Joss and Eliza; will the viewing public join them for a happy menage a n?

DaddyCatALSO | February 18, 02:21 CET

"They are not playing teenagers, which they were a little upset about. I had to talk them down.

Would that count as a spoiler?

OneTeV | February 18, 02:32 CET

Doesn't he ever get tired of the constant interviews?

tharpdevenport | February 18, 03:33 CET

I'm totally down for a Joss-helmed Kitty Pryde flick starring Ellen Page. That would be awesome.

UnpluggedCrazy | February 18, 13:18 CET

Kitty didn't have much to do in X3 so it's pretty hard to tell how good Ellen Page would be as her. That said, Ellen Page has been good in everything else i've seen her in so if I were a betting man ... ;)

Hair etc. is trivia as far as i'm concerned, it can either be dyed/waved or we can just fan-wank that Kitty decided to change her hair, s'no big. Reminds me of the falderal about Daniel Craig being blond (when James Bond has dark hair). As it turned out they didn't take even the simple step of dying his hair, they left it as is and since he's arguably the best Bond since Connery no-one really seems to care that much anymore.

Saje | February 18, 13:33 CET

Finally, we need to set the record straight: Are you, in fact, also J.J. Abrams?

Yes. Thank you for finally bringing that to light. I am. And let me tell you something: I'm fuckin' tired. I'm tired all the time. I'm doing everything. Yeah. Watch Fringe.

I loved that. Maybe because I'm tired.

he's arguably the best Bond since Connery no-one really seems to care that much anymore.

If we were in webby chat, Saje, I'd smite you. Pierce Brosnan was the best in the charming, "let me tell you of the legend of Bond" way. Daniel Craig is good in a more "realistic" Bond fashion.

korkster | February 18, 18:43 CET

Nobody is cooler or prettier than Ellen Page.

fruit punch mouth | February 18, 18:52 CET

Fruit, Juno is. Love that girl.

gossi | February 18, 19:17 CET

What!? Summer is way better than Page, acting and gorgeousness wise. Also Daniel Craig and Connery are way better than that wimp Brosnon, with his horrid horrid double entendres.

edit: I believe I've found my issue with both the above mentioned actors: their 'humor'. Page in Juno's humor consists of "Look at me, I'm unique, talk oddly (but not in a good Joss way). What, it takes more than being weird to be humorous and likable? Nonsense!" Whereas Brosnon's "humour" is bad puns, and double entendres, which I cannot stand. Mabye Page would be funnier if Joss or Drew or Jane wrote her something, but I doubt it. And there is no saving Brosnon.

[ edited by SteppeMerc on 2009-02-18 22:31 ]

SteppeMerc | February 18, 22:11 CET

Wow, SteppeMerc, couldn't disagree more with you regarging Page in Juno. She gave an incredible layered performance, Juno was a loveable character and the script was witty and funny, maybe even the funniest script of that year. I guess tastes really do differ.

Also: I love Summer as much as the next person and have great respect for her acting abilities. She regularly blew me away in Firefly and she had incredible big-screen precense in Serenity. She deserves to be a huge star. But comparing her with another great actress doesn't make one or the other better, just different.

And deciding which one is more 'gorgeous' is just, well, silly. They're both very pretty people. Sure, one might be your type more than the other (fun for 'cute actresses top 5 lists' at your local pub :)), but saying one is 'better' than the other 'gorgeousness wise' just seems off to me. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but I'm just saying :).

GVH | February 18, 22:42 CET

Yeah, what GVH said!

Plus, I'm appalled at your derision for puns and double entendres!

Septimus | February 18, 22:51 CET

Also, it's not like Brosnan wrote his own lines. Also also, Moore performed those sorts of lines way before Brosnan ever did, and more awfully.

The One True b!X | February 18, 22:55 CET

Well we can all agree that Moore was awful, that Brosnan was marginally better, and that the only real Bond that ever was is Connery (what we can't all agree on that? lol) but none of them wrote their lines or are responsible for the bad puns.

And when Joss said:

Kitty Pryde is out there. She's a pretty fascinating character with a very visual power who, the last time I saw, was played by Oscar nominee Ellen Page. And they don't seem to think that that's awesome. I don't know why. You know, I'm just sayin'.

I think he was suggesting that the star of Juno could probably carry an X-man movie as Kitty Pryde, but again, I'm not forcing anyone into agreeing with me.

embers | February 18, 23:05 CET

Yep, even Big Tam had stuff like

"I'm Plenty, Plenty O'Toole"
"But of course you are. Named after your father no doubt"

to say (roughly anyway). And that's not even mentioning Pussy Galore ;). Before the reboot in fact, puns and double entendres were as much Bond (in the films) as verbing the noun and real-time self-editing of dialogue is Buffy.

If we were in webby chat, Saje, I'd smite you. Pierce Brosnan was the best in the charming...

Well, I did say 'arguably' ;). I actually have a lot of time for Brosnan, he tried in a small way to do for the character what Craig and the reboot films have done in earnest i.e. round him out, show us the man within the super-man (basically play him a bit closer to the book character). But then I also really rate Dalton and think George Lazenby could've done a lot worse so what do I know ;).

Saje | February 19, 01:23 CET

GVH, I was responding to the comment "no one is cooler or prettier than Ellen Page", which is obviously subjective, so I followed it with another subjective assessment. Besides, everything in life is subjective. If one ruled out speaking about subjective topics, there would be nothing to talk about. And that just wouldn't be fun.

SteppeMerc | February 19, 04:38 CET

February 17 2009