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There's Such a Thing As Too Many Sweater Vests, Signed Bad Horse

By Brian Prisco | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (37)

drhorrible_main.jpg

When the brothers Whedon got together and created “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” there was something magical and daring in the randomness. It was a small project, done out of love, where a bunch of friends came together and did something hilarious and fun. And it became a big huge international worldwide smash. As well it should have.

But according to Neil Patrick Harris, they’re thinking about doing the sequel — and your head would have to be the penis to think they wouldn’t follow that motherfucker up — as a full-length feature film. Right now, the biggest obstacle seems to be getting the three leads back together because of their schedules: NPH has “HIMYM,” Fillion is doing “Castle,” and Felicia Day is delighting us with “The Guild.”

I think this is a mistake.

Not the sequel. I would love a sequel to Dr. Horrible. But I think they should keep it online in the short format like they did before. That’s what made it so wonderful. You wanna charge people a couple bucks to cover production costs? You wanna do like Radiohead did and set it up so that people pay what they want? I say go for it.

But I think it would be bad to try to take Dr. Horrible to the big screen. I cite Lonely Island as the precident. In short film format, they’re fucking hilarious. If you try to stretch their antics to a feature film length you end up with Hot Rod or MacGruber. And there are people who are OK with that. But not me, mister. Thinking like that’s what encourages Broken Lizard. Will Farrell cranked out “The Landlord,” and it’s brilliant. He even made a not-as-funny follow-up. But they didn’t take that and try to turn it into a feature length film. Sometimes, things are better in small doses.

But I didn’t come here to rain on people’s parade. And far be it for me to question the genius that created Dr. Horrible in the first place. I just hope that Whedon and Company think long and hard on the project before they go flinging it out at random for us all to see.

The project is my penis.









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Comments

I agree, it should be kept short and sweet. I think the premise would get really old were it stretched and feature-length.

Why can't people just stick with what works?

Posted by: MyySharona at March 22, 2010 10:34 AM

I get your point and understand your concerns, but I don't think it's really fair to compare Joss Whedon to the likes of the "Broken Lizard" or "Lonely Island" crews.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at March 22, 2010 10:36 AM

If I could...for a moment...be gay or a woman...

*SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

Now that's over, I would honestly love to see this on the big screen. Most of these people are considered "support" characters. It would be fantastic to see them star. Can you imagine that? 90 minutes of NPH and Fillion? I need to take a date, I'll probably end up having sex in the theatre.

Posted by: DeistBrawler at March 22, 2010 10:37 AM

I completely agree. For an online diversion, it was lovely, but no way am I paying for that.

Posted by: Cindy at March 22, 2010 10:37 AM

I've gotta agree that this sort of thing is much better in a shorter format. As much as I want to see MORE FILLION whenever possible, I can't imagine a feature-length version of Dr. Horrible living up to the original.

Posted by: Jelinas at March 22, 2010 10:41 AM

Cant we just have a lovely "Firefly" sequel with NPH signing on as the new Serenity pilot and maybe Morgan Freeman stepping up as the new Shepherd?
NPH could even be openly gay... imagine the wacky hijinks ensuing between NPH and Jayne!
Sigh.

Posted by: Spender at March 22, 2010 10:43 AM

Prisco writes, "The project is my penis."

MySharona writes, "I agree, it should be kept short and sweet."

Accident? Or GENIUS? You be the judge.

Posted by: superasente at March 22, 2010 10:49 AM

No, no, a thousand times no. I love me some Dr. Horrible. I'm not saying I've gone to a screening and sing along in costume, but...no, that's exactly what I'm saying. I would stab a man in the heart for a sequel, but keep it online and keep it short.

Posted by: TheMaskedEmu at March 22, 2010 10:50 AM

I know I'm in the minority here, but I thought that Serenity was proof that Whedon should stay away from feature length projects. If there must be a sequel, I think it would be better as another 45-minute thingy.

SPOILER ALERT How is Felicia Day coming back?

Posted by: Mr. Tusks at March 22, 2010 11:03 AM

More Dr. Horrible? Good.

Feature film with a $10.50 charge? Bad.

Posted by: jM at March 22, 2010 11:06 AM

YOUR head would have to be the penis, not "you're."

C'mon! Don't make me come over there and edit you.

Posted by: Kate the Great at March 22, 2010 11:11 AM

NPH signing on as the new Serenity pilot

Now you've gone too far.

Posted by: Jay at March 22, 2010 11:13 AM

I will GLADLY come over and edit for you, how much do you pay?

Posted by: Mr. Tusks at March 22, 2010 11:14 AM

Spender is a genius. Send him to Hollywood stat!

Posted by: Vulnavia at March 22, 2010 11:17 AM

1) Deist, I will be your date.

2) Spender, you are a GENIUS!

3) More Dr. Horrible=awesomesauce, in any form, particularly if performed live and in the nude

4) SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Posted by: dammitjanet at March 22, 2010 11:20 AM

I ,too, like Spender's idea. Also, I would like to be the new pilot's love interest.

Posted by: admin at March 22, 2010 11:22 AM

I would pay to see it in a theater. I would pay to see it online.

But I would probably be disappointed with anything more than another small jewel of a project.

One piece of fudge is wonderful. A whole pan of fudge just makes you feel sick.

Posted by: Wednesday at March 22, 2010 11:28 AM

Yes. but Hot Rod is actually amazing. Ten repeat viewings can't be wrong.

Posted by: Kissing Girls Makes You Sleepy at March 22, 2010 11:50 AM

I think Joss would adjust the format a little to make it more palatable for the big screen. And we know he can make movies. Dude did Serenity, of course. But he also did Toy Story, yo.
And I am a complete slobbering mindless fanboy.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at March 22, 2010 11:51 AM

Spender, I just had a massive geekgasm at my desk, and now my coworkers are concerned. Could you please explain it to them while I play out the NPH/Adam Baldwin fanfiction in my head?

Although, no one can follow Alan Tudyk.

Oh dear, my fanfiction just got more crowded and 33% more fuckable...

Posted by: shamed in the shadows at March 22, 2010 12:10 PM

Shame on you if you didn't enjoy Hot Rod. I love that film to death. Time will tell on Macgruber but Hot Rod was the comedy I least expected to love that turned out to be one of my all-time favorites.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 22, 2010 12:32 PM

Right now, the biggest obstacle seems to be getting the three leads back together because of their schedules: NPH has “HIMYM,” Fillion is doing “Castle,” and Felicia Day is delighting us with “The Guild.”

So, the character who died is the only one whose schedule would accomodate making the movie?

Not good.

I also thinked this idea worked better in 15 minute snippets of 3. I'm not sure cheese smells it's best when it's a couple of hours long.

Posted by: BWeaves at March 22, 2010 12:37 PM

Yes. but Hot Rod is actually amazing. Ten repeat viewings can't be wrong.
Posted by: Kissing Girls Makes You Sleepy at March 22, 2010 11:50 AM

Who are you and where have you been all these years? Your comments are owning my shit today!

Posted by: ChristianH at March 22, 2010 2:03 PM

Why couldn't a Dr. Horrible "movie" be 6 to 12 short episodes. (90 to 180 minutes @ 15 min. each.) Put in some intermissions and it would play brilliantly as an event.

Also "big screen" doesn't have to mean Cameron-esque studio movie. There's prior art in other kinds of distribution to theaters - Buffy & Firefly / Serenity event screenings, and of course Rocky Horror before that.

BTW, Felicia Day is signed up for Red, so apparently someone is willing to let her play an action hero and one hopes dress up in a costume. (Mentioned as motivations for The Guild and Do You Wanna Date My Avatar.)

I mean besides Whedon. & me. Geeky nerd-girl hottie in spandex and / or armor - yum.

Where was I? Oh, yeah.

Folks are all the time becoming superheros in the comics. I say Dr. Horrible was the first half of an origin story for Penny From Heaven a violent, avenging do-gooder. In a costume.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at March 22, 2010 2:46 PM

NPH signing on as the new Serenity pilot

I just came in my nerdpants. It was sudden, messy, and accompanied by a sound that was approxamitely "JooOOOOooOOOOoossSSSssS"

Posted by: esme at March 22, 2010 3:02 PM

I say Dr. Horrible was the first half of an origin story for Penny From Heaven a violent, avenging do-gooder. In a costume.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at March 22, 2010 2:46 PM

You, sir, just became MY HERO!!!!!!!!!

Whedon, are you reading this? DO THIS NOW!!!!

Posted by: dammitjanet at March 22, 2010 3:22 PM

Also, anyone else think The Guild is completely stupid? I watched that whole damn "Season One" on Netflix, and I kept waiting for it to be good, and it never was.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 22, 2010 3:29 PM

They need to focus more on Moist. What makes him tick? Does he have an overbearing Jewish caricature for a mother like Helberg's other character (seems like he might)?

Posted by: Ian at March 22, 2010 3:31 PM

Damn it, I was hoping NPH and Felicia Day would be cast in a live-action "Archer" movie. Aisha Tyler of course could play the same character she voices.

Posted by: Mrcreosote at March 22, 2010 4:14 PM

GUYS PAJIBA EXCLUSIVE. My friends at Indiana University did the first stage adaption of Dr. Horrible and Joss Whedon dug it and is using the kids to workshop the full length thing for broadway.

Posted by: buttercup at March 22, 2010 5:13 PM

You, sir, just became MY HERO!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, dammitjanet - er - dammit - er - Ms.(?) janet. Wow. Punny, movie reference and gender ambiguity. Great name. Ought to be a superhero.

Let's see ... spitballing Dr. Horrible 2 - Penny From Heaven

Penny From Heaven explores the awakening and development of Penny into Penny From Heaven, a violent, avenging do-gooder with super-powers, in the world of Dr. Horrible - the ELE, Captain Hammer, and of course the Dr. Horrible himself.

Penny under the influence of another of the Dr.'s defective techno-rays becomes Penny From Heaven, transformed, a violent, avenging do-gooder with super-powers, but not aware of her powers or vengeful nature. Grateful to the Dr. (as Billy), she takes to heart his concern about "treating a symptom" and when she sees a wrong, goes after ... anybody handy. Often that's the Dr. As Heaven she revels in her burgeoning powers. As Penny she disapproves of both Dr. Horrible and Heaven. She is grateful to "Billy" as a friend & support while failing to return his crush, now laced with guilt over his part in her transformation.

The ELE, with their new member, Dr. Horrible, find their plots thwarted by this unpredictable new power. Initial plot points drive from the Dr's introduction into the ELE, and their expanded operations including this new, powerful player. We find out about Heaven as they do, when their - the Dr's - plan crashes into this new power. (Dr. Horrible / Billy should only connect Heaven to Penny after he's done something awful to her and / or a plot is afoot for her demise.)

The ELE don't know what to make of Penny. Simultaneously dedicated to good but destructive and powerful, she confuses them. The Doctor / Billy is of course torn. He loves / supports Penny, but must oppose her to maintain his position within the ELE. He is constantly challenged to protect / preserve her without being discovered, then discovering that she doesn't need his protection. Her "evil" successes outshine the demonstrations of power by which he seeks to "win" her approval, yet he enables them out of guilt. This situation is entirely wracking for the Dr. He can't win, and if he could, no outcome suffices. (This is, after all, a Whedon piece.)

Captain Hammer, having lost his super-powers, doesn't notice. He does, however, use his new found brainless sensitivity to become a talk show & self-help host. (?Hammer Time - Guest appearance possible?). Think Opra by way of Jerry Springer with a rock star's appetite for fame and groupies. Hammer does good by "bashing in minds" with a steady stream of cheesy and shallow "deep observations" each framed as another "helpful" insulting song.

Hammer's seeking of good deed media-events puts him in the way of the ELE's plots and Penny's destructive interventions. His delusion of invincibility is preserved by ever more crazy random happenstances as Dr. Horrible is forced to rescue his nemesis to maintain his own standing with the ELE and / or protect Penny.

The Groupies turn out to be the deus ex machina. Penny's drive to protect them triggers most of her violent interventions. Dr. Horrible must damage them as bystanders, use them as an unfeeling super-villian, and protect them to maintain his relationship with / protect Penny. (And each time he becomes the object of their obsession he utterly fails to secure the implied improbable 4-way - sung, of course.) Capt Hammer, however, seeks (& secures?) their approval, in the form of "the weird stuff."

Let's see ....

I see 6 "acts" in three pairs of crisis / resolution, the pairs in turn forming a first, second, third act arc. "Acts" are 13 - 15 minutes each, so this would be 2x "Dr. Horrible" in length. If the material requires, it could go to 4 acts in the over-all arc, or extend any of the arc-acts to 3 installments.

1.1 The Dr. Is In - Dr. Horrible in the ELE
1.2 A Penny Falls - Plots foiled by this surprising new power. Nobody quite knows what's going on.

2.1 Hammer Time - Capt. Hammer's new career (with extra cheese.) Advances plot by wrapping in points from previous debacle.
2.2 Penny Dreadful - Destructive intervention of Angry Penny (Dark Willow?) in ELE plans 2.0 / Hammer's foiling.

3.1 See You At The Aftermath - Billy / Dr. develops a new plan using the knowledge that Penny is Heaven & seeking to fix it / extract himself from the tension / win her love. Hammer, develops a plan to "new-age" the same evil away, with sensitivity and stuff. ("Man's Gotta Do - reprise.")
3.2 Penny From Heaven - Penny becomes aware of her powers / alter-ego (knew all along?) & thwarts it all.


That's not bad, actually.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at March 22, 2010 5:20 PM

I haven't seen Hot Rod or MacGruber, but the Lonely Island's album is hilarious.

Posted by: Steph at March 22, 2010 5:57 PM

(salutes Bierce and grabs popcorn bucket)

Now THAT's a show I'd pay admission for!

Posted by: lordhelmet at March 22, 2010 7:02 PM

Thanks, lordhelmet.

Sorry the writing's a little ragged. I was power-typing when I supposed to be making geeky infrastructure software that does ... tech-stuff. Stand back, it's science.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at March 22, 2010 10:09 PM

buttercup, I am in Indiana, my daughter lives near IU and I am ready to head that way!!!! That is freakin awesome!!

Bierce, I am female, as DeistBrawler will attest, and I would bankroll that script.

Posted by: dammitjanet at March 23, 2010 3:35 PM

dammitjanet wrote: Bierce, I am female ... and I would bankroll that script.

Better and better. Sorry the pitch is a bit ragged. Brain dump while hiding from what they pay me for. (Garbage on the headphones at the moment: "This is what they pay me for. Let me dirty up your mind." Yes, please do.)

Maybe it's time for a career change? This tech stuff has become tedious. What's it take to become an apprentice staff writer? I live cheap.

Meanwhile, dammitjanet, we will require a trip report from UI.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at March 23, 2010 3:50 PM

That's a joke I can burn through that much data in a day on the internet.

Posted by: Silvia at August 16, 2010 9:36 PM