Let’s get this straight: Wonder Woman, Spider-Woman, The Birds of Prey, Witchblade, Zatanna, Fathom, Daughters of the Dragon, Ghost, Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk don’t have movies in active development, but Sabrina the Teenage Witch is getting the big screen treatment? Thanks Sony. The Archie comics character, who spawned several animated series and a long-running live-action series starring “Clarissa Explains It All’s” Melissa Joan Hart, is getting a new motion picture with a superhero twist. They’re actually comparing it to Spider-Man.
This is no disrespect to Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It’s a perfectly decent family-friendly concept and there’s no reason why a motion picture couldn’t be fun. Hell, it worked for Teen Witch. But turning her into a superhero when there are loads of actual female superheroes languishing in development hell (if they’re that lucky) is bound to be disappointing to comic book fans who would actually like to see a beloved character get the same treatment. Deadline reports that Sony Pictures is developing Sabrina the Teenage Witch with an “edgy” tone in “an origin story in the vein of Spider-Man” that reimagines her talking cat, Salem, as “a transformed prince creating unique love stories for Sabrina.” Sounds edgy as hell.
Still, they’ve got some talent behind this one. Producers Don Murphy and Susan Montford previously transformed that Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots movie, Real Steel, into one of the best genre films of 2011. Screenwriters Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari are behind the upcoming Zac Efron thriller Die in a Gunfight, which would sound like a badass title if it weren’t for the whole Zac Efron thing, but if that’s any good it might mean that they’re just the guys needed to turn a mainstream, family-friendly project into something worthwhile.
Still though… Wonder Woman. Ain’t happening. Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Happening. Oh Hollywood, you crazy so-and-so…
CraveOnline will be back with more Sabrina the Teenage Witch news, because apparently we have to.
