The Umbrella Academy

[TheButcher]

"THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY" IS "TOO CHALLENGING" FOR FILM, SCREENWRITER SAYS

Considering the popularity of Dark Horse's "Umbrella Academy" and "Elfquest," it's somewhat surprising neither property has made it to the big screen. It's not for a lack of trying, though -- writer-director Rawson Marshal Thurber has been attempting to get both series made into movies for years. But in a recent conversation with Spinoff Online about his latest film, "Central Intelligence," the scribe discussed his "Umbrella Academy" and "Elfquest" scripts, saying he believes that both projects will likely never be made.

Reflecting on his "Umbrella Academy" script, and declaring his love of the property, Thurber told Spinoff, "'The Umbrella Academy' is far and away the best script I’ve ever written, and my personal favorite book, graphic novel. I just thought what Gerard Way did and Gabriel Bá was nothing short of art, and I wrote my guts out trying to write a script that was worthy of what they did.

"I think ultimately, on the feature side, I don’t think there’s much hope for that movie to get made," he continued. "It was just I think too challenging – which seems sort of strange to say in a world in which every third movie is a superhero movie. But just, I think this one might have been a bridge too far, and the thing that makes 'Umbrella Academy' so special and so unique, in order to spend that kind of money to make a movie, most financiers would want to round off the edges and change the thing that makes it so special, to kind of make it fit into a different box.

While "Umbrella Academy" won't be headed to the big screen anytime soon, don't count out the television adaptation that's reportedly in the works with Universal Television. Thurber teased, "I don’t know if there’s much hope on the feature side for that project, but there might be hope on the television side, dot dot dot."

Thurber then addressed his planned "Elfquest" film, expressing a similar affinity for the project -- which will ultimately also not see the light of day. "'Elfquest' was my first love. I worked hard for Warner Bros. on that script, and ultimately it did not make the final rose ceremony. So I don’t imagine that will coming to the screen anytime soon. Although, if someone is smart enough and courageous enough to bankroll that property, they will be very well-rewarded because I think it’s incredible. It deserves to be shared wider."

[TheButcher]

ScreenRant 07/06/2017:
Sources indicate Netflix is developing a television adaptation of Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s comic book series The Umbrella Academy.

[Peven]

finished watching this over the weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it, Klaus is my favorite. can't wait for season 2. all sort of cool stuff in that "world" to explore that wasn't explained in season 1

[Al Shut]

I have to say watching more trailers online make it seem more interesting than the one I saw on TV.

Does it feature the evil orchestra from the comic books? I was always wondering how that would sound when I read it.

[Peven]

I have to say watching more trailers online make it seem more interesting than the one I saw on TV.

Does it feature the evil orchestra from the comic books? I was always wondering how that would sound when I read it.

no evil orchestra......technically...…...yet?

[Ribbons]

I just binged all of season 1, which is good timing since the next batch of episodes comes out at the end of this month. I'd read the comic, so I had some idea what to expect, but was still curious how they would handle the live-action adaptation of something that leans so heavily on a cartoonish visual style and a heightened sense of reality. They do an admirable job of bridging that gap, incorporating as many of the book's weirder elements as possible (including Pogo, the talking chimp butler) and fleshing out both the world and the characters to make them feel more grounded and realistic. As with the source material, The Umbrella Academy isn't necessarily "about" anything in particular, but its appeal lies in throwing all of pop culture into a blender (from the X-Men to The Royal Tenenbaums to the Kennedy assassination to Phantom of the Opera) and synthesizing it into something wholly unique.

thoroughly enjoyed it, Klaus is my favorite.

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with Number Five, who doesn't leave much of an impression in the comics but is brought to life by a fantastic child actor named Aidan Gallagher. I don't know where the hell they found him, but he holds his own with every adult on the show. That said, each member of the Academy has their own appeal (except for Diego, who I didn't much care for).

Does it feature the evil orchestra from the comic books? I was always wondering how that would sound when I read it.

It does not. The conductor of the Evil Orchestra is changed to a character named Harold Jenkins, whose function in the story (and ultimate demise) is the same even though the role is vastly different. The "Apocalypse Suite" is still the climax that the entire season is built around, but they take a different route to get there.

Here's a trailer for season 2 (July 31st, mofos!):

[Peven]

thoroughly enjoyed it, Klaus is my favorite.

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with Number Five, who doesn't leave much of an impression in the comics but is brought to life by a fantastic child actor named Aidan Gallagher. I don't know where the hell they found him, but he holds his own with every adult on the show. That said, each member of the Academy has their own appeal (except for Diego, who I didn't much care for).

number 5 is my 1a favorite. I have adopted one of my favorite lines of his as my catchphrase, "I don't think I'm better than you, I KNOW I'm better than you!".

for realz, I do love his story and the depth that kid actor brings to it, he's great.

i don't really care for Diego, either, but I really can't stand number 1, what a fucking putz.

i'm looking forward to this next season with the same level of anticipation I used to have with each new season of GoT, and The Boys season 2 is coming soon so it is a double shot of pop pulp goodness.

[Al Shut]

I don't know where the hell they found him, but he holds his own with every adult on the show.

On Nickelodeon I believe. In fact I'm pretty sure because I have the silly show he was on running in the background right now.

[Ribbons]

Here's the opening scene of season 2, which drops on Netflix this Friday:

[Peven]

i am not watching anything until friday

[so sorry]

I've been toying with the notion of watching this series, but haven't pulled the trigger.
That trailer doesn't help...

I'm all for campy fun superhero shit, so maybe I'll just give it a go.

[Ribbons]

I'm all for campy fun superhero shit, so maybe I'll just give it a go.

Yes, do eeet

[Peven]

I'm all for campy fun superhero shit, so maybe I'll just give it a go.

except that I don't really consider it camp at all. on the contrary, I think the Avengers are much more camp than Umbrella Academy, AntMan is waaaaaay more camp. Umbrella Academy is smarter, existentially more complex and more mature emotionally than almost the entire MCU.

[Peven]

season 2 was solid, though its reach was greater than its grasp in some areas. I feel like it could have used a couple more episodes to explore and fill out those parts.

still, overall, I really enjoyed it and characters I didn't like the first season I liked this time around. I'm looking at you Diego and Luthor. those guys provided some great laughs this season, and Diego I think had the funniest scenes in the series, while both being portrayed as oversized lovelorn boys trying to be heroes. I guess that is why i liked them so much more this time around. meanwhile I found Klaus much less likeable this time, and I hated Vanya just the same. I confess it may just be that gargantuan fucking forehead which is an affront to nature, but she also makes choices that are infuriating again and again.

[Ribbons]

I'm not sure whether I preferred season 2, or 1. This year's story was a lot tighter, with all six of the team connected to the Kennedy assassination somehow, the only question being who's responsible for ending the world and how to stop it. The first season was a lot more loose and freewheeling, but in some ways wasn't *about* the plot; rather, it got into the heads of each deeply dysfunctional family member to explore what makes them tick. I can say that I enjoyed them both, though. I love the characters; I love the quirky sense of humor; I love the weird but perfect song choices; and I'm sad that we're probably going to have to wait a long time for season 3.

Some of the performances were better this year. The actor who plays Luther, who was kind of the resident wet blanket, leans into the earnest dolt-ishness of his character here and is actually consistently funny. Allison's story is more well-rounded, struggling with her identity as a black woman in '60s Texas and the guilt she feels for compelling other people. Diego remains the worst, but he was slightly less intolerable. I miss Pogo.