Script for The Avengers Movie

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 3:32 pm

I was wondering if anyone has detailed knowledge regarding the scripts for The Avengers feature film?

I know that Batman writer Sam Hamm had first crack at this, but can anyone confirm that this was the screenplay that involved John Steed and Emma Peel, with different backgrounds and personalities?

I believe that this draft was bought from Hamm on the understanding that he would not receive an on screen credit and later this was rewritten by in-coming director Nicholas Meyer, who promptly left the project after Warner Brothers disliked his treatment and threw it out.

Only then did Don MacPherson arrive to write his draft.

If anyone can elaborate further, I’d like to know.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 4:19 pm

I mentioned it here.

THE AVENGERS (1989)
Film project commissioned by film Weintraub Entertainment
Scenario Sam Hamm (Batman)
With John Steed and Emma Peel

In June 1987, when Weintraub Ent. retrieves the rights of the series (movies, masters, copyrights etc. ...), the Director Jerry Weintraub decided to tap the vein Avengers to create a series of films in his words "more than Bondienne James Bond" and Patrick Macnee without.
Weintraub met Mel Gibson at a dinner party and asks if he likes Avengers. After a positive response (Gibson is a big fan and has all the episodes on video in his collection), Weintraub spreading the rumor that Mel Steed will play, although this has not been discussed during the conversation!
Note that Mel Gibson is still defends to this day have envisioned what would take over the role of Patrick Macnee, who has the utmost respect.
Weintraub then decided to hire Sam Hamm, author of the scenario Batman (Which in 1989 made a splash across the Atlantic) to write a script featuring the first meeting between Steed and Emma Peel.
This script reveals itself to be a sadness rare: there is absolutely no connection with the universe and style Avengers. It proves that Sam Hamm certainly never seen more than three episodes in his life. There is a character named Steed, and a character called Emma Peel, but this is not Steed, Emma Peel is not, in short, this is not the Avengers. This script will end up in limbo, or almost: Sam Hamm from recycled ideas from his script for a TV pilot called The Resurrectors, Filmed in 1993 and promoted as being "in style for 1990 Avengers," with "Liz Hurley in the role of Circe, an Emma Peel of the '90s". We believe in it ...
Nobody will be surprised to learn that this driver does not give rise to a series.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 4:31 pm

Thanks for that Dandy.

According to this, I’m completely correct in what I posted.

Researching a little further, I have found this quote was originally translated from French, leaving some confusion.

Was Hamm’s screenplay recycled into The Resurrectors, or was it the other way round?

I have the script to this TV pilot, which is actually called The Resurrector (which Dave Rogers mentioned in one of his books and issues of Stay Tuned), which bares no resemblance to The Avengers at all.

There have been suggestions that The Avengers influenced this, as the character Circe played by Liz Hurley wore a black leather outfit, but not actually having seen this I cannot confirm, although the script made no mention of this.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:00 pm

Yes, I should have said it's a literal translation from Google, which means you can get a gist of what it says but obviously some things get lost. I can't work out for sure whether Mel Gibson is saying he would have taken over the role of John Steed or not. I assume not.

I remember the item in Stay Tuned/On Target about 'The Resurrectors' but there is nothing in the IMDB so I suppose it didn't get very far into development. It might just be the script you have.

Interesting though.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:28 pm

Dandy

As far as I can tell, Gibson never had any intentions of playing Steed, as he has stated that Patrick Macnee could not be bettered in the role.

Again from what I have read, it appears that the whole thing came about when producer Jerry Weintraub engaged Mel Gibson in conversation at a dinner party regarding The Avengers. Gibson admitted to liking the series and Weintraub leaked a story to the press that the Australian actor would be playing Steed in his forthcoming movie, purely for publicity purposes.

However, in saying that whenever newspapers covered the proposed film, Gibson’s name was usually included as a candidate to play the part.

The Resurrector was filmed during the early part of 1993, as it appears on several people’s resumes on the net. Like you say it does not appear on IMDB and that would seem to be because it has never been transmitted or made available on video or DVD.

Universal financed it for the Fox Television Network.

Now just speculating (and I have no proof), but if The Resurrector closely recycled elements from The Avengers screenplay that Sam Hamm had sold to Warner Brothers, what would their reaction be if they became aware of this?

If this were the situation would Warner Brothers have threatened legal action over it and would that explain why it has never been transmitted?

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:11 pm

It was never been made as far as I know. I've only ever read that bit in Dave Rogers' fan mag.

I get mixed up, I must admit, between the Michael Sloane project and the early Weintraub attempt. All these Avengers projects that never got made merge into each other because it's all on paper with no visuals to look at.

I think I read Linda Thorson was keen on the Sloan one - where it's Steed's funeral and all four Avengers ladies are pallbearers.

I'm just pleased it can be left alone for now. You can't bugger about with it like you can Star Trek or Doctor Who.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:20 pm

The Michael Sloan project was The Avenging Angel, which he wanted Universal to fund, but I don’t think he ever managed to get the rights, though as you say Linda Thorson was willing to become involved, as was Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman. However, but this apparently never progressed any further than a story outline.

When Jerry Weintraub managed to obtain the rights, it apparently ended Michael Sloan’s revival of the series and he turned to The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, which he revived as three TV movies.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 8:53 pm

He did Bionic Ever After? Well that was a masterpiece ..

darren · Post by **darren** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:44 pm

I can't help thinking that that Michael Sloan project would been like Return of the Man from Uncle or whatever it was called (with Macnee) and have had none of the charm of the original and would have made it seem so lacking in personality and character - doubtless shot in LA doubling as the UK.

MikeR · Post by **MikeR** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:16 pm

If anyone can add anything to the information collected here on Michael Sloan's The Avenging Angel, I'd be more then happy to hear from them.