EXCLUSIVE: Brendan Fraser has been cast as one of the leads, Robotman/Cliff Steele, in DC Universe’s upcoming live-action series Doom Patrol, from Greg Berlanti and Warner Bros TV.

A former race car driver, Cliff Steele was in a horrific accident that left his body uninhabitable. Cliff’s brain was saved by the mysterious Dr. Niles Caulder and he lives on in a powerful robotic body.

Fraser will provide the voice-over for Robotman and will appear in flashback scenes as Cliff Steele. Riley Shanahan has also been cast in the role of Robotman. He will provide the physical performance of the character on stage in full body costume.

Written by Jeremy Carver, Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DC’s strangest group of outcasts: Robotman (Fraser), Negative Man, Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby) and Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero). Led by the mysterious Caulder, they’re called into action by the ultimate hero for the digital age, Cyborg (Joivan Wade). Banding together, these rejects find themselves on a mission that will take them to the weirdest and most unexpected corners of the DC universe.

Carver executive produces with Geoff Johns, Berlanti and Berlanti Prods’ Sarah Schechter. Berlanti Productions produces in association with Warner Bros Television.

The Mummy alum Fraser was recently seen in major roles on Audience Network’s Condor, FX’s Trust and Showtime’s The Affair. He is repped by Gersh, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Patti Felker.

 ErkyTimbers wrote:
Could this be his comeback? His career has become something of a meme recently.

 gorgon wrote:
I'm not sure what to think about this show. I've read that the Morrison run is the inspiration. But wow, capturing that kind of surrealist edge is gonna be a challenge in a TV show. Even in an age with programs like Mr. Robot and Legion.

It'd take a *strong* writer, and the showrunner's claim to fame is Supernatural, so...I dunno. I'm afraid it's going to end up a Berlantized CW-ish show, which could be popular but isn't what I really want in a Doom Patrol show.

 Turnip Jedi wrote:

 gorgon wrote:
I'm not sure what to think about this show. I've read that the Morrison run is the inspiration. But wow, capturing that kind of surrealist edge is gonna be a challenge in a TV show. Even in an age with programs like Mr. Robot and Legion.

It'd take a *strong* writer, and the showrunner's claim to fame is Supernatural, so...I dunno. I'm afraid it's going to end up a Berlantized CW-ish show, which could be popular but isn't what I really want in a Doom Patrol show.

think you've pretty much nailed it there, I'll give it a go but setting expectation low

 AduroT wrote:
Could I get a TLR cliffs notes? I started to read it but it was super rambly and looked terribly long.

A superhero can sometimes be best defined by their nemesis, so it kinda makes sense that a “unique” team like Doom Patrol would be pitted against nobody — sorry, let’s make that Mr. Nobody. DC Universe’s live-action Doom Patrol series has found its big bad, tapping Firefly‘s Alan Tudyk to play the villainous Eric Morden/Mr. Nobody in the Titans follow-up series from Greg Berlanti and Warner Bros TV.

A reimagining of the superhero DC characters originally written and drawn by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney, and Bruno Premiani, Doom Patrol is written by Jeremy Carver (Supernatural, Being Human), who executive produces alongside Berlanti, Geoff Johns, and Berlanti Prods’ Sarah Schechter. Warner Bros. Television produces in association with Berlanti Productions.



So here’s what they’re telling us about Tudyk’s role: after exposure to unknown experiments by ex-Nazis in post-war Paraguay, Eric Morden ceased being a man and emerged as a living shadow able to drain the sanity of others as the enigmatic — and totally insane — Mr. Nobody.

Known for his role as Hoban “Wash” Washburne in the television series Firefly (and film Serenity), Tudyk has also appeared in NBC’s Powerless and Amazon’s The Tick. On the film side, the actor has appeared in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and more.

Doom Patrol is a re-imagining of the beloved group of outcast Super Heroes: Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Negative Man, Elasti-Girl (April Bowlby), and Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), led by modern-day mad scientist Dr. Niles Caulder (The Chief). The Doom Patrol’s members each suffered horrible accidents that gave them superhuman abilities — but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatized and downtrodden, the team found purpose through The Chief, who brought them together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence — and to protect Earth from what they find. Part support group, part Super Hero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of super-powered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them.

Picking up after the events of Titans, Doom Patrol will find these reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by none other than Cyborg (Joivan Wade), who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.