Adapting a Live Action Movie Part IX - Marvel Style Approach

I would also like to point out that money making on these projects is limited; at least for the first few films as we build up credibility through quality storytelling and movie making. Budgets for the first three films MUST Be modest in order for it to succeed with each film coming in with production costs under $100 million (maybe even less. Hunger Games started out with about $80 million I believe and it's the closest thing to this franchise besides Marvel which has extreme budgets).

Actresses would have to sign film deals that extend to at least 3 films to finish out the trilogy, though it would preferable that they sign on to option for 9 films and more.

Let's be friends!

1) to correct a misconception, Marvel Studios existed before Disney bought the company. They were mostly distributing through Paramount, but they were making the films themselves.

I sort of agree and sort of don't with your plan here. Each movie HAS to stand on its own. Marvel would have got nowhere with Avengers if Iron Man didn't do well. Another case to look at is Superman. The first two were shot together (and for reasons many and varied, things changed and much of Superman II was reshot) and planned as a big two-part movie with the first one an earth-based story and the second a fight with other Kryptonians. And I think Sailor Moon is too massive to boil down to one movie.

I don't want a crazy sprawling 9 movie series though. If I wanted that, I'd just watch the series. This approach can also backfire if the resolving chapters are never made (like Last Airbender). Here's how I've always seen it:

Film 1: Ideally, this is a Sailor V movie. It allows us to set up much of the type of movie these are, and it only follows one character. Usagi and friends can make cameo appearances like in the manga. If Sailor V is a flop, then it becomes another "oh well" footnote in history. But if it does well, the Sailor V merchandise can feul the Sailor Moon movies, just like it did in the manga and anime.

Then we get into the Sailor Moon films proper, which I see in two parts:
Film 2: the first Sailor Moon movie introduces us to Moon, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter and ends with a sort of climactic battle against one of Beryl's agents. Probably Jadeite. The final moments are the appearance of Sailor V joining the team.

Film 3: Struggles within the group about who should be in charge, as Venus has more experience. Ends with the defeat of Queen Beryl.

If these movies do well, then maybe one more movie involving the Outer Senshi and Chibi-Usa. But that's it. I don't want it to go on forever and get into Galaxia or the Starlights or all manner of other things. That's what the anime is for.

-TK

"I've always admired atheists; I think it takes a lot of faith." -Dr. Joel Fleischman

[deleted]

I like where you're coming from, you're putting a lot of thought into this. But this is a big endeavor, let's see if Sailor Moon can successfully field a new animated series first, before we even consider a movie, let alone a live action movie, let alone multiple live action movies.

The anime market in the US has dwindled to the extent that a live action Sailor Moon in the US is out of the question, but I could see something like this at least being considered at some point down the line in Japan if Sailor Moon Crystal becomes a runaway success. An animated movie would be much more likely but it's not like it'd be the first time Sailor Moon has been made into live action, so it's definitely possible.

The Avengers works because they're drawing on a dozen characters with decades of storylines each. One arc of Sailor Moon doesn't have enough content to field multiple movies unless we're talking low budget, direct to video films. If Sailor Moon wants to borrow the Avengers approach it's going to have to use more than just the storyline of the first arc. Each of these movies would need to be a standalone film in its own right, with major villains and a solid storyline.

Here's my idea. You could probably take each season of the TV show and adapt it separately into an Avengers type scenario.

- One film could detail the inner senshi and their battle against Queen Beryl. Simple enough.

- One film could be about Neptune and Uranus' apocalyptic premonitions and their search for pure hearts, culminating in their defeat of the daimons. The other senshi wouldn't be featured in this one, but you could definitely bring Pluto in to enrich the cast. You could even frame this as an action-romance, and delve deeply into Haruka & Michiru's relationship, and their tortured decision to risk innocent lives for the sake of the world.

- The third film could focus on Chibiusa and her friendship with Sailor Saturn. You could combine this with the storyline from Super S with Pegasus, so that they'll have an objective and enemy to build the movie around (since the S storyline was used for #2).

- Then the fourth film could be the triumphant combination of the groups to defeat the ultimate evil.

Naturally this would require massive changes to make each story work, but that's no different from what they've done with the Avengers. That's just how these things work, that's how they're turned into legitimately viable films.

---
"Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the antidote to shame."