Knocked Up: The Fat, Hairy Green Hornet
The Los Angeles Times is floating a rather horrifying rumor: that Knocked Up and Freaks and Geeks star Seth Rogen is in final negotiations to write and star in a feature-film version of The Green Hornet for Columbia Pictures.
Don't get me wrong: I love Seth Rogen. He's a precocious young comic, likable, funny and bold. When I wasn't wishing that Linda Cardellini would use my tongue as a g-string, Rogen's character in Freaks and Geeks was my hands-down favorite.
But let's face facts: this is like casting Jack Black as Dick Tracy. Seth Rogen is a hirsute lardo. That's his schtick and his charm. So by casting him, they mean to take the film in the direction of the ironic, smarmy and camp.
That could be okay, I guess. I suppose if there were any character I wouldn't mind being given the gag treatment, it's the Green Hornet, a rather inconsequential Batman rip-off set apart from the pack only because Bruce Lee played Kato.
But there's the rub, isn't it: who is going to play Kato? Who can possibly step into Bruce Lee's shoes? Jet Li's the only one I can think of, and surely he has better things to do.
Rogen To Write, Star In Hornet? [Sci-Fi]
I thought Jet Li retired? Which is tragic in itself.
Caw,
This is completely bizarre, since, famously , the guy who owns the rights to the Green Hornet is completely resistant to change. There was a comic book series a few years ago where they "updated" it with Kato as a woman, and he flipped out and withdrew the rights. Either this is a "wish" project, like the pervasive rumor about Jack Black playing Green Lantern from a few years ago, or the rights holder is dead.
Uh, maybe when they say "star" they mean, you know, he's in there somewhere, but not as the Green Hornet? I hope. Or else, why even call it "The Green Hornet." Just make a parody, call it "The Yellow Jacket," and cast Jay Baruchel in the Kato role. Box office gold, that.
the green hornet actally predates batman
so saying he is a batman ripoff is wrong.
the green hornet is a direct desendent of the lone ranger,and this is in fact what inspired him to be the green hornet in the first place. the show in 1966 was in my humble opinion far ahead of it"s time
and as such compaired to the campy Adam West batman farce was not given it"s due
the whole idea from Van William's prospective was to do a crime drama involving the 1930s radio era hero in a modern serious vane. the show was way better then ever given credit for and folks like me out there have been waiting years to
see it on the silver screen, I would hate to see it mocked up after all this time
by anyone to high or careless to bother doing it right.