In terms of recent(ish) comic book adaptations, Xmen’s Wolverine is a delight for the (straight) female gaze, as was Nite Owl in Watchmen. Yes female super heros wear skimpier things but I think that focusing on costume and appearance distracts from what’s really happening that’s stopping these films’ success.
@d It’s really interesting what you say about Catwoman, makes me want to check it out actually to see how the end result failed where the concept seems decent.

And while I can completely understand the angst against general action films because of the dichotomy between male and female attire are so stark, I think it’s muddier in comic book – and specificially super hero comic book – adaptations. The Phantom, Spiderman, and Superman have sported catsuits (super tight unitards) in both their comic and movie appearances (as well as on tv). X-Men and Batman have often wore stereotypical hero gear in their books, even though it was tweaked for theatrical releases. So yeah, Scarlett in her Black Widow gear or Catwoman looks different against Iron Man or the new more armoured Batman, but they wouldn’t look much different from Spidey.

I share a general concern with you Chris and Allison, but I don’t know if I would agree with the culprit perse. First, this is far more like Alias the movie than a superhero movie, so they should have an ok time adapting it.

But while marketing seems to do whatever they will, I think their was a good amount fo care taken on both. Look at Elektra – she wasn’t even supposed to have a movie really – it should have been Daredevil II, but her character resonated so much that they decided to make a sequel. Does anyone know otherwise? In an interview I read, the screenwriters talked abut how much they loved Elektra, and read the books when they were younger. They weren’t happy the way it turned out. And if you look at her clothing she wears much more that she does in the book. In fact, with the exception of Catwoman I think female superheroes have put on more clothing in their celluloid forms. Catwoman is a harder sell, and maybe that’s why Burton, Pfeiffer and Judd bowed out of it. But did anyone watch the making of Catwoman? Seems the director in striving to make it very different from Selena Kyle decided to make this Catwoman really like a cat! So the revealing clothing was supposed to show her spine curvature and accentuate that when she walked, just as you notice it in a real cat. I don’t know if it was a wise choice, but when I saw it again looking at her movements and uniform with that focus, she did pull off the cat-like feel.

I feel more like the audience sank those films. Unlike some other films, I remember seeing Elektra and Catwoman posters long before the movies showed up. In fact I think they specifically used more marketing with them because they thought the women could carry them on their star power. Didn’t quite work. And I saw both. I wouldn’t say they were the greatest films ever, but they seemed as good as many a film that have debuted in the number one position. Taken did amazingly well, and I didn’t think it was better than Elektra at all.

I wonder if there is something in the cultural psyche that won’t let us allow females to be true heroes. It seems even when they start to crouch over there, they get labeled with being like guys – either by production, or the audience, or even some female actors I’ve listened to. This can be ok in other genres, but in an action genre, and specifically the superhero sub-genre, this is downright cripling.

In fact, as I am brainstorming, I am wondering if this is like the case of african americans often in comedies but rarely in dramas on tv. It’s like it’s ok when tempered with humor. And just like the other films out there, if we don’t go see even the mediocre ones, we won’t get the good ones.

But I LOVE that fact that Rashida is getting to adapt her own work, that’s great. And I think Shia is a good fit for Y the Last Man.

Thanks for the info Melissa!