Connery film could pave way for more superhero films

Hollywood observers believe that if Sean Connery’s new film, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a hit, it could pave the way for more inventive and imaginative films featuring comic book-based superheroes.

“If this movie is big, the floodgates will open,” Mirko Parlevliet of Superherohype.com tells USA Today. “Studios could try all sorts of creative things – teaming up superheroes or going to more obscure titles. If it flops they’ll probably retreat to the brand-name comics.”

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which Connery co-produced and Stephen Norrington directed, is based on a little-known six-part graphic novel.

It tells the story of a group of 19th Century literary heroes, including Allan Quartermain, the Invisible Man and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, who band together to fight evil.

“This is a major test,” said Parlevliet.

Rob Worley, of Comics2Film.com believes the literary figures might be too obscure for today’s cinema audiences. “I don’t think many kids know who Allan Quartermain is,” he said.

“They’re going to have to sell the young audiences on the action and the older audiences on the literary references. It won’t be easy.”