Why hasn't a movie about... ever been made?

...Dick Tracy?

It’s simply because it hasn't gained much traction outside our local circles or over in Italy. Such a shame, really, because the comic itself is absolute perfection. If it were translated into English, it could easily take the world by storm.

If he were actually big in the States, someone would have turned him into a movie ages ago.
But sadly, those Italian comics—you know, the stuff like The Phantom, Dick Tracy, or even those old noir types—only really caught on in Italy and parts of the North America...

But now they’re actually making a movie based on Dylan Dog. 🙂
Can you guess why? Because they translated a specific set of them into English, released them in the US, and suddenly they were massive hits.
Unfortunately, in their version, Groucho goes by a different name and doesn't even have the mustache, just to dodge a lawsuit from the Marx Brothers foundation.

Man, I would love to see a movie based on Dick Tracy. Honestly, even The Phantom and Chico Marx wouldn't be bad ideas either. Just imagine if Quentin Tarantino took them on...

copperharbor47 said:...Dick Tracy?

I asked myself the exact same thing about a decade ago. He just isn't a mainstream icon, but honestly, I think it’s better if he stays on the comic page. You can't really translate faces like that into the real world.

PS As far as I know, there's an animated version out there; I caught a brief clip where Superman was dubbed in Italian and shown in color.

How could it not have been filmed?! And what about "Marathon Man"?! 😂

I suspect the creator of Dick Tracy intended to parody James Bond, specifically through the lens of cinema. In fact, the screenplay was drafted before the first comic ever hit the stands. The lead role was actually tailored for Peter O'Toole—so any resemblance between the drawn version of Dick Tracy and the actor certainly isn't just some cosmic coincidence!

I’m way too old for this stuff, but you guys seriously need to make a movie about it.

If you aren't flying, you aren't really living. It’s pretty simple: if you’ve got the wings, you take to the sky, because staying grounded is just a slow way of admitting you're irrelevant.

Joseph Lee3 said:If you aren't flying, you aren't really living. It’s pretty simple: if you’ve got the wings, you take to the sky, because staying grounded is just a slow way of admitting you're irrelevant.

🤣🤣
If you're just walking, you're falling behind.

If you want to come out on top, the first rule is pretty simple: don't lose.

I'd much rather take a dignified loss than an unearned victory.

In America, it seems like everyone is obsessed with nothing but superheroes. A classic like Dick Tracy doesn't stand a chance with this crowd.

Here lies someone who simply isn't around anymore.

For real. If they ever make a movie out of this, they should just hand it over to Rodriguez. Let him whip up a new Sin City.

I remember seeing an educational program about comic books about eight or ten years ago. A few famous American actors even reenacted a scene straight out of a comic

I wonder how this would land with folks here in the States? Honestly, the whole comic seems to be taking a massive swing at that entire Western facade of pseudo-culture and the supposed American way of life.

As far as I can tell, comics only really took off in a handful of places outside of Italy. Honestly, I don't get it—comics are freaking hilarious.

There was some talk about this idea... people were even suggesting certain casting options for 😳

A few theories floating around here..

First off, it seems like the main conflict for the strip is its lack of success in the States. But honestly, I don't see how a comic that basically lays bare all the grit and glamour of American society—mocking its core pillars, no less—would ever fly there. Who would even market that as entertainment? Alan Ford worked because it was anti-American back when that was actually risky. I shouldn't have to explain that logic. - edited: I'm with Ljelja drugi

Second, let's not forget that if AF succeeded here, the heavy lifting was done by Nenad Brixy. He wasn't just a translator; if you compare the Italian and American editions, he added a layer of depth to the whole vibe through sheer consistency.

Third, the closest thing to a movie I can think of is Welcome to Collingwood—even some guy from Cleveland mentioned that in an IMDb comment. But we all know it’s not quite right. Superhik isn't just an anti-hero... he's the antithesis of the American comic book landscape. He exists specifically to puncture the superhero mythos that dominates US comics. Besides, who wouldn't look at number one recently and see Greenspan, the head of the Federal Reserve? There's nothing particularly entertaining about that.

Joseph Lee3 said:I wonder how this would land with folks here in the States? Honestly, the whole comic seems to be taking a massive swing at that entire Western facade of pseudo-culture and the supposed American way of life.

What about marriage counseling, like in The Simpsons?