AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL USLAN - Part 4 DATE: November 15, 2005 Author: "Jett" Michael Uslan © Copyright 2005 William E. Ramey. All rights reserved. In this last installment of my interview with Michael Uslan, he talks about other his projects other than the Bat-films. He also tells us what he thinks about the upcoming SUPERMAN RETURNS and what the future holds for the DC Universe of characters - and comic book movies in general - on the big screen. JETT: Are you excited for SUPERMAN RETURNS? MU: Oh yeah! Yeah. I saw about ten minutes of it and it blew me away. I think they’ve nailed it. Bring Singer and company - all those guys - absolutely nailed it. I’m very, very excited about that. Regarding having "family friendly" comic book films for kids: I think it is very important to the whole concept of the comic book industry and comic book films to have some comic book movies made for kids. Not everything has to be a BATMAN BEGINS or a CONSTANTINE. There is no reason on earth you can’t do a SPY KIDS kind of movie that kids will love - eight year olds, twelve year olds - that their parents and grandparents can take them to see. It is important to do this. I felt that until recently, the comic book industry had turned their backs on kids. Like when you and I started to read comics, we were little. It was like they were turning their backs on a new generation of readers. And movies shouldn’t do that either. JETT: I know you have a Captain Marvel movie in the works - what else? MU: We’ve got some very exciting projects coming up like Captain Marvel - SHAZAM - at New Line. We’re doing Will Eisner’s THE SPIRIT. We’ve got several things going with other characters that we’ve yet to announce officially - a few rumors here and there - and we may have an official announcement early next year. But it is exciting. Here I am working with characters I loved as a kid, that I cared about - and do care about. And in some cases, I knew and was close to the creators. I was close to Otto Binder when I was a kid - who was the primary writer for Captain Marvel [for quite a while]. This is exciting stuff for me and very important to me. And I wake up every rainy Monday morning and I can’t wait to get to work. And that’s cool. I’ve taken my passion in life and my love for comic books and made it my life’s work. JETT: How’s the future for “comic book” movies looking? MU: I think that there has been a sea change in the way Hollywood perceives these things [comic book based movies] - I think that [not taking them seriously] has been eradicated. And I look forward to what I call the “Golden Age” of comic book movie-making. [We should be] thankful in part to the special effects that can now be done. For example, up until a few years ago, you feared doing a GREEN LANTERN movie just because of the cheesiness element. But now you no longer have to fear that. If you now match the technical advances with the advances in the way people think about comic book films among the Hollywood establishment, you really, really, really have to be encouraged. JETT: What’s in store for the DC Universe on the big screen? MU: Well, as far the DC Universe, I think the corner has definitely been turned. And you look at the quality that has been done - BATMAN BEGINS, JUSTICE LEAGUE on animation - I mean there is nothing in animation right now like the DC stuff. Also, with what’s on the horizon like SUPERMAN RETURNS - I think that with Hollywood’s newfound respect for comic books and their creators, and Paul Levitz, Gregory Novak at DC COMICS working behind the scenes, so hard. I think we’re going to see some really, really, great stuff. Everyone is working hard and had the best interests of the characters at heart. We’ve got some great years ahead of us to look forward to in the future. I know that I’m excited for it. I'd like to take this time to extend a BIG thank you to Mr. Michael Uslan for taking the time to talk to me. Michael, it was great chatting with you and I hope to catch up with you again soon. I find your story - and especially the story of getting BATMAN ON FILM simply amazing! BOF'ers, Michael is one of us - he's a true Bat-fan at heart. I'd also like to thank F.J. DeSanto from Mr. Uslan's office for help in setting up this interview.