One of the many franchises that can get a reboot is Universal Pictures’ The Shadow and Chris Evans might just take the lead. The current palette of the movie going population ranges from action-packed adventure to worlds beyond earth. Thus, fantastical stories about universes, monsters, mythologies, extraterrestrials and yes superhuman or non-human heroes all abound.
Advances in video technologies have opened more doors to creativity that only the directors and writers can limit. Movie magic so it seems has come a long way. Now, in a report from GiantFreakinRobot, Universal Pictures means to reboot the detective hero film The Shadow. This time they wish to have Chris Evans take on the role of the detective. The hero’s power is his ability to hypnotize criminals’ minds thus making them believe he in invisible.
Universal Pictures Wants The Shadow Reboot With Chris Evans
Image: Universal
The Shadow is a fictional character that Walter B. Gibson wrote and published through Street & Smith. In the 1930s, it originated in pulp novels that later appeared in other forms of media. These include, radio shows, comic books, comic strips, television, serials, video games, and films. Notably, Orson Welles gave The Shadow his first voice.
In the early years of The Shadow his invisibility is actually a result of his powers to hypnotize. He is not literally invisible but only that he can “cloud” the criminals’ minds on seeing his presence. In the beginning, wrongdoers will only hear his voice and he would have the advantage of being “unseen”.
The last movie that focused on the character was in 1994 that starred Alec Baldwin. Russel Mulcahy directed the movie that Martin Bregman, Willi Bear and Michael Scott Bregman produced. Joining Baldwin as cast were John Lone, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Boyle, Ian McKellen, Jonathan Winters and Tim Curry.
Unfortunately, the movie did not perform favorably in the box office. With a budget of $4oM, it only generated $32M gross domestic sales. Its highest sales week happened in its opening getting the movie ranked 2nd only to Disney’s The Lion King with 20th Century’s Speed at the 3rd spot. The following week it dropped to the 5th rank in the box office. It didn’t even stand a chance against Paramount Pictures’ Forrest Gump and MGM’s Blown Away. Furthermore, audiences weren’t that happy with the movie with just 34% on the Tomatometer at 50 Reviews and 44% Audience Score. Needless to say, the film was a commercial failure.
Universal Pictures Wants The Shadow Reboot With Chris Evans
Image: Netflix
But, after almost 30 years, who knows? Universal Pictures could possibly do The Shadow good this time. Given a great story, writing and finding a director that truly appreciates the character would do wonders for the franchise. Maybe, with that, the original plan to skyrocket the character during the 90s can be done this decade. And if they do get Chris Evans for the role, then that is icing on the cake. Everyone knows Ironman now but 20 years ago, that wasn’t the case either.
