Weapon

[GeneChing]

I confess that I've watched Wizards of Waverly Place on several occasions. My kid likes it.

"Waverly" star Henrie joins "Weapon" adaptation (http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSTRE58F0N420090916)
Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:41am EDT
By Jay A. Fernandez

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - David Henrie of the Emmy-winning Disney Channel series "Wizards of Waverly Place" will pair with Platinum Studios to develop its comic book series, "The Weapon," into a feature film he'd star in.

"Weapon" follows martial arts enthusiast and inventor Tommy Zhou, who has developed a ground-breaking portable innovation that an evil order will stop at nothing to steal. Released in 2007, "Weapon" was created by Platinum chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.

"'The Weapon' is so awesome, and my Disney audience will enjoy the empowerment and action-filled journey my character experiences," Henrie said. "I'm a huge fan and student of MMA (mixed martial arts), and I hope to bring that to the character of Tommy."

Henrie most recently appeared in the Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie." He has had recurring roles on "How I Met Your Mother," "That's So Raven" and "The Pitts." "Wizards" won an Emmy on Saturday for outstanding children's program.

[karateguy]

we are all guilty of watching the Disney channel.. its ok

[GeneChing]

Looks like this will have a little Avatar (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46683) syndrome. Here we go again.


Disney's David Henrie Is 'The Weapon' For Platinum Studios (http://www.cinematical.com/2009/09/16/disneys-david-henrie-is-the-weapon-for-platinum-studios/)
by Elisabeth Rappe Sep 16th 2009 // 8:45PM

I never feel older or more out of touch than when I read or write about one of Disney's fresh faced stars. Every time I shrug it off as a "I really don't know who that is," they end up being the next Shia LaBeouf or something. So, in the interests of keeping up and in pleasing our young readers, here's a story about The Wizards of Waverly Place's David Henrie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Henrie has decided to take the first step to becoming, well, Shia LaBeouf, by starring in Platinum Studios' The Weapon.

Based on the four-issue comic book, The Weapon stars Tommy Zhou, a martial arts weapon enthusiast by day, a brilliant inventor the rest of the time. He designs a wrist band that creates "an endless variety of weapons from solid holograms." I can't imagine why Zhou thinks this is a good idea, or why he's surprised when evil henchman come after it. Naturally, it isn't just any evil military-industrial complex, but an order of assassins who believe he's stumbled on the lost techniques of the Order of Wu-Shi, "the way of the Weapon." Henrie fans can find the comic at Platinum Studios' store and hopefully be inspired to pick up a few other comics after they read it.

I can't let the story pass without one critical note, and that's the blatant disregard for the character's Asian descent. While Henrie is confident that his Disney fans will still love "the empowerment and action-filled journey my character experiences" and stresses that he's studied mixed martial arts, it's a shame Platinum had chosen to empower a young Chinese-American actor instead. That's no slam on Henrie (what young man doesn't dream of being in an action flick?) but a troubling decision on the part of the studio.

FWIW, Disney does have a token Asian starlet, Brenda Song. Her marketing is very interesting since she isn't pushed as a singer like Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, or, of course, Mylie Cyrus. Even her former co-star, Ashley Tilsdale is marketed as a pop singer. But Brenda has her own film, Wendy Wu (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=669), which is a kid's kung fu flick, albeit a Disney one. Disney certainly isn't known for its kung fu flicks (although Mulan (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=118) was extraordinary) so it's good to see them dabble in that genre.