One of the reasons DC Comics became DC Entertainment was because higher-ups at Warner Brothers really, really wanted to make an Elfquest film. But they didn't decide they wanted to do it until after DC had stopped publishing it, thus causing the studio to pay much more for the rights than they would have otherwise.
So fast forward a few years and despite having the rights, Warner hasn't done a thing with the property. But fans have, and so Elfquest creators Richard and Wendy Pini have taken the rights and put them in the hands of independent producers Stephanie Thorpe and Paula Rhodes.The two produced a short "trailer" for a full-length Elfquest film, and now the Pinis want them to take a crack at their dream. The duo announced this in a press release today.
Thoughts below the video...
They've certainly done a good job of casting actors with passion for the job, and a few even look like Wendy Pini's renditions of the characters. But really, most of what was required was for people to look up and slide their eyes in one direction or the other. A proof-of-concept trailer like this, while full of great production design and interesting effects, tells us nothing about their ability to actually tell the story.
We've been burned by the excitement of fan films like Grayson and World's Finest, greatest moments from guys that could only hit the high notes without understanding how they connected. So take it with a grain of salt but a pinch of hope. If the Pinis' gamble is right and the producers do deliver a credible film, this could blow the lid off of a lot of genre projects.
