Soapbox: What the hell is Fox smoking?

It must be crack. Must be.

I'm sorry folks, I don't like to get on my soapbox and pontificate, but on this i feel I must. Fox studios (specifically head Tom Rothman) is making colossal blunders today. I can't keep silent.

First news of the day was Fox filing an injunction to stop the release of WB's Watchmen due to rights that stretch back to the 80's. Yeah, okay. You and I both know they are not going to let the Watchmen be delayed. Not in a post-Dark Knight climate. Watchmen has potential to be big. So don't worry, I don't think anything short of Alan Moore being granted the power of God himself could stop Watchmen's March release date. So it comes down to settlement. Meaning money. Now I am not a naive fool. Hollywood is business. Business is about money. Fox will probably likely drop this whole thing for a nice tidy sum that will make them say " Who watches the Watchmen?" They couldn't give two shits. But its low ball, that's all. Where was this injunction when it was being film? I mean it wasn't like the weren't posting VIDEO BLOGS about the making of the damn thing! Or that it had a trailer in front of the Dark Knight? Maybe all the Fox Execs finally decided to check out Batman and realized they could make a dime without lifting a finger. Whatever.

Secondly comes news that Rothman is taking control of X-Men Origins: Wolverine from director Gavin Hood because it was "too dark" and they wanted to make it more "family friendly." Now excuse me, but when did a guy with essentially three knives sticking out of his hands become Barney? Honestly! I think all comic fans would support the idea of a family friendly Wolvie. NOT! But then again this a studio that decided making such franchises such as Alien vs Predator & Die Hard, (two adult rated R properties by the way) and turn them into more "family friendly" pg-13 fair. Right, cause that worked out so well for them. Jesus Christ, did you watch the Dark Knight? The average comic book geek audience is 18 and above, not kiddies! In fact the comic book industry can attest to the fact that it doesn't have a replenishing younger readership, hence the art form is suffering! Trust me, a hardcore Wolverine is what the doctor ordered. And Gavin Hood is a good director. He won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film for Tsotsi! A dark and gritty film by the way. AN OSCAR!

So hopefully they just had bad sushi or something and they will get their collective heads out of said asses. Other than that... shame Fox. Shame.

Wolverine is not happy with Fox, not one bit.