[Batman Begins] Clark Kent cameo?

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Oh! Yes, right, that actually makes more sense.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

SuperheroHype received production stats for Batman Begins, and an ominous entry attracted attention:

"T. Welling as KENT"

Sounds like a big fat pile of SHENANIGANS to me. WB would never let something this big come out in a production stats released to a website unless it was a joke. Besides, aren't there all kinds of legalistic reasons (involving different people holding film rights) why this couldn't happen?

 

[Klaus]

Doc Connors was already spoiled in the trailers though. I think he's probably referring to the surprise

Spoiler

Willem Dafoe

cameo at the end of the movie.

Ding! We have a winner!

Film-rights-wise, doesn't it all belong to Warner Bros. itself? Unlike Marvel movies, DC doesn't have to "outsource" its characters, being owned by a movie studio, right?

(is my utter lack of expertise in the matter showing?)

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

DC rights issues are a mess, Klaus. That's why you'll never see something like Young Bruce Wayne on Smallville (which was the big rumor before this last season).

 

[Zulithe]

Sounds cool, I'm liking it, but WHY are they going to use the star of the WB Smallville series to play Kent when we know that WB is working on a new Superman film? If they have cast Superman (which maybe they haven't, but they could probably do a reshoot before Batman Begins comes out and slip him in, if they cast him soon?). It makes more sense that they would use the actor that will be in the upcoming Superman film, if possible.

I wonder why they don't just use Welling for the upcoming Superman movie in the first place? Smallville already seems to be winding down, I doubt it will be as long-lived as Buffy. Better yet, Welling's appearane in Batman Begins might actually be a sign that this is the case.

And Klaus you are right, since WB brought DC Comics years ago they can basically do what they want with those properties, which is why we aren't seeing any Marvel films being done by Warner Brothers, they are all DC.

Tarasque Wrangler: I don't believe that is true, they COULD use Bruce in Smallville if they wanted. They had a few shots of Batman (in costume) in the short-lived WB series Birds Of Prey. There is no reason why they couldn't do crossovers. They do it in the comics all the time. It's also a really good idea (and is sure to boost ratings), it's probably only a matter of time before we see those kind of apperances in Smallville.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I wonder why they don't just use Welling for the upcoming Superman movie in the first place?

IMO, because he's completely, utterly, and totally wrong for the part.

The fact that Welling is really 27 is immaterial. He doesn't look old enough, or tough enough, for Superman. His voice is wrong, his face is way to boyish. And frankly, while he's okay for TV, he's not nearly a strong enough actor to carry a movie.

Plus, if they cast Welling as Superman, people are going to associate the events of the Smallville series with Superman canon. The series is cool enough as its own entity, but I do not want it incorporated into the "official" Superman mythos. There are far too many problems and inconsistencies.

Personally, I really hope they go for an unknown for the part, or at least a relative unknown.

 

[Klaus]

Well, there's always the Superman from "World's Finest" (y'know, the short trailer where Sean K Reynolds played Lex Luthor... )

 

[Mouseferatu]

Well, there's always the Superman from "World's Finest" (y'know, the short trailer where Sean K Reynolds played Lex Luthor... )

Okay, let me rephrase. I really hope they get a relative unknown who can act, and who does't look like the unholy love spawn of Nic Cage and Elvis.

(Then again, I have to admit, I'd actually prefer an older Superman, someone obviously in his 30s. I think that age fits the character better than 20-something.)