Guess which one is Kripke.
One showrunner I've been hankering to see get back into the game is Eric Kripke, the brains behind The CW's underrated and underwatched Supernatural. Kripke left the series after season 5, having wrapped up the arc he set out to tell and gave up his position to second-in-command Sera Gamble. He still serves as an executive producer on the show, but for the most part, he's taken a backseat on things.
Now comes word that Kripke is starting a new project for The CW, via Deadline Hollywood. Kripke will write and executive produce an adaptation of Deadman, the DC Comic about a man (Boston Brand) who is murdered, but is able to "live" on as a spectre/ghost/spirit that can possess other people's bodies. Using his new ability, Brand then hops from body to body to help them solve problems in their own lives. In the comics, Brand sometimes possesses the bodies of various superheroes, but it's unclear if that's the approach the TV series will take (but it should!). It's sounds a bit like Quantum Leap with a supernatural twist.
The CW is looking to start a new superhero franchise with Smallville off the air. Deadman sounds like a pretty good fit for Kripke, as it easily serves as a hybrid serialized and anthology show (finding the man who killed him and helping others), just like Supernatural. If it goes all the way to series, expect it next fall.
TNT tried to turn Deadman into a series in 2000, but it didn't work out. Kripke was previously attached to adapt the Neil Gaiman graphic novel Sandman for television, but that project has since fizzled out.
What do you think, Supernatural fans? Is this a good fit for Eric Kripke? And who do you think would make a good fit for the lead?
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
It does sound a bit Quantum Leapy and I have my doubts. Plus no one's heard of Deadman unless you're a real comic nerd. I don't think Kripke or Deadman is enough to draw any sort of audience.
sounds like a pretty good project for kripke
So basically...The Walking Dead meets Quantum Leap?
Definitely would be a good watch.
As a non-American watcher of several CW series, some of which (TVD, SPN) are also aired in our country - India - I think the appeal of this show - or any show based on niche superhero characters (unlike universally known heroes like Superman or Batman) - isn't going to work at a global level. And without that support, which greatly props up shows like SPN and TVD, which enjoy massive popularity in Europe and Asia as well via both TV and the Internet and merchandising, such a niche show will struggle in today's competitive TV space unless Kripke comes up with something truly fantastic that actually somehow manages to supercede CW itself. I've never heard of this superhero, and I'm not sure if he looks like this vicious-looking bald guy all the time (!) or if he looks like whoever he possesses - in the first case, I don't see anyone getting very far with an ugly lead, no matter how heroic, at least not given CW's base demo, and in the second case, wouldn't it require a new lead for the better part of every eppy (assuming the original Deadman appears for some time too)?moreless
Well, Supernatural was basically Hellblazer lite, so why not? I'm just hoping somebody forces them to write the title as "Dead Man" and lose the red unitard, because some things just don't translate. But Deadman as undead Quantum Leap? Yeah, there's probably a show in that.
I'd personally like to see a Dr. Strange series but the special effects would eat up the budget. If anyone can pull off Deadman it would be Kripke, although it would likely come across as a dark Quantum Leap. And it's hard to connect with a character that's a different character each week.
I was hoping Kripke would do something original instead of a comic book character type tv series. I really don't know anything about Deadman but the CW couldn't find another DC character that's at least well known? I mean you have Supergirl which most likely would've been a big hit, or how about Dr. Faith? Anyway I hope it works out for Kripke.
Sounds like a decent showm Kripke could do wonders...hope it works out
Despite the fact that the source material is not wildly popular one, reviving comic book titles is booming right now. If Kripke puts some real effort into it, updates it in a realistic and engaging fashion, the show could bring in fans of the series, as well as the uninitiated. A little of that charm that made Supernatural so popular and enduring wouldn't hurt either.
But if the CW doesn't back Kripke and the project all the way, pulls some AMC/FOX exec move for creative control of the show or just doesn't support it in general, the show will fail. The stations has a history of successful sci-fi shows but chooses to support none of them, giving bump and advertising time to their other dramatic shows instead. It's not the way to go about making successful series and I really hope Kripke can bring this one to life.moreless
i dont know if i like this ideal.yeah sure eric can write good stories but his writing when it comes to extra characters are very weak i mean look at superntaural i can count all the characters are my hand.and deadman sucks.. what the hell happened to raven(teen titans) the cw was working on to replace smallville.
Supernatural is the awesomest show because of Kripke, and I was insanely excited when it was announced that he was working on a new series. Hopefully it will be as awesome as Supernatural. I just hope it doesn't get picked up by The CW though, because it might end up looking like a teenager show.
a superhero show on anyother network what makes u think itll last long?i hate to say this but it is true.the cw gives their shows a chance to survive and getting better ratings.a show like this on cbs,nbc,fox or maybe abc dont have a chance.i like the ideal of it beeing on the cw.i just dont know why the cw would replace the series raven they waqs working on with deadman.
idea. idea. IDEA.
oh my god, thank you for noticing
Somehow I don't see a series based on a 40-year-old comic book appealing to many people, even if stayed on long enough to get Nanda Parbat and the League of Assassins. One of the posters' idea of Boston Brand being a faceless narrator sounds a lot more interesting than Tim's puerile idea of having Brand leap into superheroes, but I'd rather see that idea used on a TV series based on Joe Halderman's All My Sins Remembered.
"It's sounds a bit like Quantum Leap with a supernatural twist. " Hardly, Boston Brand first appearance was 1967. He was a high wire circus performer. To do the series justice it would need to keep the timline accurate. With today's overpopulated supers, Deadman is a bit dated. Then, the storyline had depth, character -based versus the powers-based of today. Unfortunately, I don't think the instant gratification audience of today would be willing to sit still long enough to care.
I would have thought the CW wanted to carry on the Smallville theme with the JLA or Supergirl/Flash team up approach?? Either would offer the identity/hero character angst needed for draw.
they was working on raven which alot of people was okay with but now their doing deadman.....i have no ideal who deadman is.and i consider myself a fantaic scifi comic book fan.they didnt want to do justice league b/c itll be too many characters and their wont be alot of action b/c the budget will be used for the actors/actress instead of all the special effects.far as supergirl they want to try something new so nothing that deals with superman...flash maybe a good ideal but i want the raven series or aquaman.
IDEA
Supernatural is a really great show, so I would check this out if it was made into a tv show.
up for it !why not? It's Kripke, Supernatural is pure genius I don't see why not this one
Maybe he'll work the Phantom Stranger and the Spectre into the series too!
sounds ungood
Alas, it is doomed. The number of fans of the comic is low, and the familiarity is near zero; people who don't know squat from comics know that Clark Kent is Superman. Once you get past Batman and Superman, the DC lineup is pretty weak. Deadman appeared recently in Cartoon Network's "The Brave and the Bold" series (along with a lot of other DC C-listers) and couldn't hang on even with Batman's help.
He would have been better off developing a show with a similar theme, but created originally.
Of course I'll watch. Would love him to play it as a 'true' anthology, with the Brand character only appearing as a narrator, and the lead character in each story be played by different actors, who, by their acting, would have to show they had been 'taken over,' instead of a mirror trick, or seeing the character as Brand through our eyes and the 'real person' through others or the like. (Cliche!!) Worth trying a different approach, this time.
Excited!
He could make a show about paint drying, and I would still watch.
Whatever he is doing, I am watching.