I forsee that this 2011, Pinoy superheroes will rule television and cinemas. Specifically, I can see visions of the following:
Captain Barbell will return with a bunch of new cool superhero gang
GMA Network presents Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell (2011)
This year, the famous Mars Ravelo character will be reincarnated again on our TV screens. An equally powerful gang of superheroes will join him to save the world. Richard Gutierrez will don the new costume and I can feel explosion and girls, lots of girls.
Buhawi Jack comes back
Gerald Anderson and Jewel Mische in ABS-CBN's
Wansapanataym presents Rod Santiago's Buhawi Jack
I see apparitions of Buhawi Jack, a jewel and a kid. Buhawi Jack is a komiks superhero created by Rod Santiago which had a movie version in 1998 starring Monsour del Rosario. This time I can see Gerald Anderson in the role minus Kim Chiu. This series will launch her teamup with former Kapuso star Jewel Mische.
A winged superhero will introduce himself to the new generation
Bagwis is an angelic-looking winged hero armed with a shield and a sword. Created by Elwood Perez, the character first appeared in a newspaper strip until it was adapted for cinema in 1989. Is this right? My vision tells me that Gerald Anderson will play the part with Jewel Mische again as leading lady. They'll be bringing to life two superhero stories this year?!
Six superheroes will return to their childhood
Mars Ravelo's Sanlakas Team
Wait... darkness.. I can sense a beast . And I see six superhero kids afar walking towards me. Wait. Their costumes are very very familiar. As they move closer, I can recognize Lastikman, Varga, Kapitan Boom, Tiny Tony, Dragonna and Flash Bomba in their full kiddie glory. Together, they are Mars Ravelo's Sanlakas Kids.
A box office icon joins the festival again
Flavio (Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr.) will start with a new adventure, will emerge victorious against the evil forces of Lizardo and will be awarded topgrosser.
As the year ends, let me give you a recap of Pinoy Superheroes that were introduced and reincarnated in television and cinemas this 2010.
The year opened with films of the 35th Metro Manila Film Festival - Philippines (MMFF-P) still enjoying its run (the filmfest starts on December 25. That year, two superhero flicks were produced: Carlo J. Caparas' Ang Panday (produced by GMA Films and Imus Productions) and Wapakman (produced by Solar Entertainment).
ANG PANDAY
Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, Jr. reprised his role
as Flavio in Carlo J. Caparas' Ang Panday
The story of the noble blacksmith Flavio and his battle to fight the evil Lizardo was once again brought to life into the big screen by Sen. Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, Jr. Produced by Imus Productions and GMA Films, the film clinched a bagful of awards in the 35th MMFF-P such as Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Theme Song including the highly coveted Best Supporting Actor for Philip Salvador (who played Lizardo), Best Actor for Sen. Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, Jr., and Best Picture. On top of the awards, the movie emerged as topgrosser in the festival earning a gross income of P99.8 million during the filmfest, as published in the Manila Bulletin. This is Revilla's second Panday movie making him the second actor to play the character several times after the legendary Fernando Poe, Jr. Revilla's first Panday movie, Dugo ng Panday in 1993 was also an MMFF entry. The film outfits have announced their plan for a sequel.
The World's Boxing Pound for Pound King Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao gives life to a new superhero Wapakman. The movie, produced by Solar Entertainment ranked last in the box office results of the 35th MMFF-P.
In January 2010, GMA Network launched a cinema plug to drumbeat its lineup of TV show offerings for 2010 for the network's 60th year. The cinema plug (below) showed a teaser of the networks upcoming shows including Pinoy Superhero features namely: a sequel of Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell starring Richard Gutierrez and Carlo J. Caparas' Panday Kids starring Buboy Villar, JC de Vera, Jolina Magdangal, Jackie Rice, Polo Ravales and Lovi Poe (removed from the final casting).
GMA Network's 2010 Cinema Plug
During the year however, only Panday Kids materialized. Richard Gutierrez was given a hosting stint in Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Edition. This postponed Captain Barbell sequel to 2011.
From left: Sabrina Man as Charlie, Buboy Villar as Oliver and Julian Trono as Hadji
Carlo J. Caparas' Panday Kids is a sequel to the 2009 movie Ang Panday (above). The story revolves around three kids destined to protect the world from the evil Lizardo using the shards of the Panday Sword. Oliver is the Heart, Hadji is the Bravery and Charlie is the Brain of the team. In their journey, they face a lot of suffering as their families are torn apart and those they care for die. In the end they are returned to their normal lives without their Panday Powers and Lizardo perishes. Panday Kids is centered on a place called Mystiko.
ABS-CBN, on the other hand, mostly featured dramas as they celebrate 60 years of soap opera in 2010. The network however, continued Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla, a banner featuring reincarnations of characters (with amulets) that Ramon Revilla has popularized. The banner show started in 2009 with Tiagong Akyat starring Gerald Anderson and Pepeng Agimat starring Jolo Revilla. After Pepeng Agimat ended in February 2010, ABS-CBN followed Tonyong Bayawak starring Coco Martin and Elias Paniki starring Jake Cuenca.
As part of its daily morning viewing, ABS-CBN had Super Inggo at Ang Super Tropa, the animated sequel of the popular primetime series which starred Makisig Morales (also in ABS-CBN).
TIAGONG AKYAT, PEPENG AGIMAT,
TONYONG BAYAWAK & ELIAS PANIKI
The men of ABS-CBN's Agimat: Mga Alamat ni Bong Revilla (from right):
Jolo Revilla as Pepeng Agimat, Jake Cuenca as Elias Paniki, Gerald Anderson
as Tiagong Akyat and Coco Martin as Tonyong Bayawak
They have also featured a superhero in the reincarnation of child-friendly show Wansapanataym which now features fantasy stories from komiks. Just this December, they featured Pablo S. Gomez's Super Kikay and the Golden Pagong.
Kim Chiu plays Super Kikay in the first Pinoy superhero
featured in the comeback of ABS-CBN's Wansapanataym.
The year ended with the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival - Philippines. Of course, MMFF-P would never be complete without Pinoy suoerheroes. This year, two films featured Pinoy superheroes namely: Super Inday and the Golden Bibe (Regal Films) and Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote(GMA Films, Imus Productions, Octo Arts Films, APT Entertainment and MZET Films). Super Inday and the Golden Bibe is popularized by Maricel Soriano in the 80s and Regal Films, on its 50th year recreates the story with Marian Rivera on the plum role. Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote, on the other hand, portrayed by Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. and Vic Sotto, which emerged topgrosser in the filmfest is a fusion of two well-loved superhero characters.
SUPER INDAY AND THE GOLDEN BIBE with AMAZING J and KOKAY
Aside from Super Inday (Marian Rivera) and the Golden Bibe (John Lapus),
the movie introduced new superhero characters who joined Super Inday's
battle against the evil forces. They are Super Inday's love interest Amazing J
(Jake Cuenca, rightmost) and the funny maid-turned-accidental
superhero Kokay (Pokwang, leftmost).
