Mark Ruffalo as Columbo Is a Perfect Match Made by the Internet

[harpere]

Mark Ruffalo as Columbo Is a Perfect Match Made by the Internet

Will Mark Ruffalo be the next Columbo? File under "maybe."

Can you will a thing into existence just by wanting it badly enough? Despite what Disney movies might have taught you, this usually isn't the case... except when it is. Screenwriter Gary Whitta (The Book Of Eli) can't be the only one who's noticed the striking resemblance between actor Mark Ruffalo (aka Bruce Banner) to Peter Falk in Columbo -- which catch up on the 70s detective on Netflix [https://twitter.com/garywhitta/status/489152030603108352].)

But in tweeting about it, it's possible Whitta actually willed this project into existence, as Ruffalo himself responded saying he's been approached by Ed Solomon [https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/489327220427849728] (who worked with Ruffalo on Now You See Me) about an all-new Columbo.

Does this online chatter mean we'll see a Columbo reboot staring Ruffalo? Hollywood ideas come and go, so this is still solidly in the "maybe" category (at best). But we're going to be extra nice to Gary Whitta just in case he actually can make such things happen via the power of Twitter. (And we hope that moving forward, Mr. Whitta will continue to use his powers for good.) Come on, Hollywood -- you can do this for us, your biggest fans, right?

Source: CinemaBlend [http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Could-Mark-Ruffalo-Big-Screen-Columbo-66281.html]

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[youji itami]

Yeah I can see this working as a network procedural easily and it would be good for him to keep in the public eye between Avengers films.

Just looked at his upcoming non Avengers films and there's nothing that is going to be a big hit at all.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Oh my GOD.

........As a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of Columbo, I have my fingers crossed that this turns out actually GOOD.

If they can't knock it out of the park with Columbo's slightly goofy, but incredibly devious crime solving, then I don't want it to happen. But if they CAN nail everything that made Columbo good, I will be on board for SURE.

...And if you haven't watched Columbo, DO IT. I was super skeptical at first, I was finally convinced to watch an episode, and I have been a massive fan ever since. Columbo is brilliant and amazing and you owe it to yourself to watch it.

 

[gridsleep]

Calling Columbo a '70s detective is like calling the Doctor a '70s time traveller. It is inaccurate in the extreme. Peter Falk played Columbo from 1968 to 1978 and from 1989 to 2003. What started out as an ABC Movie of the Week (along with McCloud, MacMillan and Wife, Banacek, Hec Ramsey, and Quincy ME to name a few famous ones) turned into, basically, America's Holmes. Oh, oh... what just entered my head... Ruffalo's Columbo has to go to London with the (never, ever seen--especially not that TV show that no one mentions [you just mentioned it]{SHUT UP}) Mrs. Columbo, and he runs into Cumberbatch's Sherlock while suddenly investigating the very same case. That would be like the Peter Falk/Jeremy Brett mash up that we never got. Oh, it'll never happen. And, the rest of my day will be glum, now.

 

[Jingle Fett]

Hmm.
I liked Book of Eli.
I like Colombo.
I like Mark Ruffalo...

As far as reboots go, this is actually one of the better ideas.

Spoiler

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Wow. Okay, I'd have to see him do the mannerisms, but as far as looks go, he is a dead ringer for Falk's portrayal.

"Oh, just one more thing...."

 

[Tumedus]

No, just no. The mere fact that is suggested based on Ruffalo's similar appearance shows that no one who is talking about this understands how to make a modern telling of Columbo. You don't want a guy who looks like Peter Falk as all that would do is bring up the comparisons and make it look like a show with a guy doing a Columbo impression.

If you were even going to try, you need to find a guy who could pull off a bumbling schlub and yet convincingly outwit suspects. That isn't just his facial structure, it was everything about him, the mannerisms, the facial tic, the voice. The characterization and the writing are what is important, not the similarity in look to the original actor.

I think you'd be better off getting someone like Patton Oswalt than you would be going for Ruffalo doing a Falk impression.

 

[Lilani]

Wow. Okay, I'd have to see him do the mannerisms, but as far as looks go, he is a dead ringer for Falk's portrayal.

"Oh, just one more thing...."

Honestly, I think it would be best if he came up with his own mannerisms. There's no way he can match the original, much less improve it. I'm sure they'll keep the "just one more thing" thing, but it would be best for everybody if Ruffalo made his very own take on the character, and not just mimic the original.

 

[FalloutJack]

*Notes that Columbo episode collection needs to be filled*

This has promise, but I still like Peter Falk. I welcome anyone to give it a shot, though.

 

[rednightmare]

I love Columbo and I could see Ruffalo doing a stellar "bumbling" detective act (Bruce Banner was already half way I feel)

 

[Flatfrog]

Columbo was the most original detective series of the last forty years and I could easily see it making a great modern-day version. But this:

If you were even going to try, you need to find a guy who could pull off a bumbling schlub and yet convincingly outwit suspects. That isn't just his facial structure, it was everything about him, the mannerisms, the facial tic, the voice. The characterization and the writing are what is important, not the similarity in look to the original actor.

That doesn't mean Ruffalo couldn't do it, I'm sure he'd be great, but he'd have to make a huge effort *not* to do it as a Peter Falk impression.

Incidentally, for any Columbo fans, if you want to mess with your head watch Peter Falk playing Peter Falk the secret fallen angel in Wim Wenders' 'Faraway, So Close' - especially the scene where he infiltrates a secret base by convincing the guards they're filming an episode of Columbo.

 

[Flatfrog]

Oh, and incidentally, they *really* should make Mark Ruffalo star in a movie of The Gruffalo.

 

[Rastrelly]

Nonononononono. No. No. Nononono. NOOOOOOOO. No. No.

Really. No.

Spoiler

I think Ruffalo would be an awful Columbo, and I'm sure the reboot will kill everything that made Columbo so great. It won't be oldschool. It will concentrate on some kind of shitty 'drama' and 'psychology'. It will bring modern 'vision' of series. It will start trying to 'character develop' Columbo. So no. Nononon. No. No. NOOOOO!

 

[Bug MuIdoon]

I don't really see it working in all honesty.
If they do make it happen, they really need to take it back to the 60's/70's. As much as I love Columbo, the later series are pretty awful. If it was set in present day L.A, it would be just another CSI, "let's zoom in on that camera and turn the criminal around 180" type bullshite that's rife in today's police/crime dramas.

 

[Ephidel]

To me, it's not really a case of whether it would work or not, but more a case of something raised by CinemaSins Jeremy. That is, the total lack of creativity coming out of all creative industries nowadays. You see, the creative part is being overwhelmed by the INDUSTRY part, and as an industry, it HAS to make ever-increasing amounts of money.

To me, you just can't top Peter Falk as Columbo, and why would you even try? Just like you can't top Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes (no Benedict Cumberbatch shite) or the original cast of Dad's Army. Just leave these things alone as something to be remembered and enjoyed, not constantly "dug up" and reiterated over and over and over again and again and again ad infinitum.

Come up with something new, that's surely not beyond American TV Producers seeing as you had a veritable deluge of cop/detective shows in the 70s and 80s. Or have all the genuine creatives already died and no-one thought to hire some talent to replace them?

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I wouldn't mind this certainly. Peter Falk is a legend and a fantastic actor. His portrayal of Columbo is brilliant and singular. A remake would not in any way lessen that or take away from it.

Columbo was an interesting series amongst murder-mystery shows. It was one of (if not the) only one in which we the audience see the entire murder take place and thus know how it happened. The show and eponymous detective then have to work it out and that's the great part. His manner, his methods, turning around just as he's about to leave and asking "Oh, and one last thing...". Brilliant.

I've only seen Ruffalo in one film so can't speak for his abilities but would wish him only well. I'd watch the first episode at least.