Dragonball: Evolution. You guys have all seen it, even if you don't want to believe it exists. I know you did. I did. We all did. Whether it was a moment of insanity, a moment of curiosity, or a moment of genuine interest, we all saw it. Most people felt it sucked. Me? I felt it was one of the greatest terrible movies ever made, ranking up alongside Street Fighter and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians as one of the biggest guilty pleasures in the world.
Still, as a fan of Akira Toriyama's magnus opus, I can't help but think about what COULD have been, what if there was a competent director in charge, or a great script, or any of the things most big budget Hollywood films deserve to get? Well, this script is just a brief window into what COULD have been, or what MIGHT have been, perhaps even what SHOULD have been, if I do a good enough job. This is my first fan script, so I apologize if the formatting isn't correct. It's not going into Hollywood anytime soon, so I'm not going to follow the rigid constraints of Hollywood script formatting.
It will be divided into segments, naturally, but it will probably equal the length of a traditional script. Remember: one page of script roughly translates to a minute of screen time.
Quick guide to abbreviated terms:
ES – Establishing Shot
LS – Long Shot
MS – Midshot
BS – Breast Shot (chest up)
CU – Close up (face)
ECU – Extreme Close-Up
POV – Point of View
HA – High Angle
LA – Low Angle
EXT – Exterior
INT – Interior
OTS – Over-the-shoulder
And now, without further adue…
DRAGONBALL: THE MOVIE
(or what Dragonball: Evolution could've been…)
FADE IN FROM BLACK
EXT. DEVASTATED WASTELAND
ES of desolate desert wasteland. All one can hear is the howling of high winds, no music, no sound, just emptiness. CUT to an empty village. Linger for a moment before camera CUTs closer in, panning over several dead corpses rotting in the twilight sun. CUT to CU of young child, whose face is violently bruised, as though he were beaten to death.
CUT to shot of the setting sun from the perspective of the village, the sun framed between two huts. Linger for a moment before one becomes aware of several flashes of light in midair against the massive star.
CUT to far away from the village, toward the flashes of light. The force of the energy causes great columns of stone high in the air to shudder, crack, and finally topple onto themselves, dark smoke rising into the air. A scream is heard throughout the air as the camera CUTS to focus on a body tumbling to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain. The body belongs to a young martial artist known as ROSHI, who is currently bleeding from the head and stomach. CUT to an ECU of his hand clutching his bloody chest. Then CUT to an OTS from ROSHI's perspective, panning up to focus on the insuing flashes of light above. Fists fly violently as ROSHI'S MASTER is punched across the face by PICCOLO, a frightening green alien, only to be thrown across the landscape, straight through a second column of high rock, landing heavily against the ground.
CUT to LA of Piccolo, his face swallowed in darkness, a slight, ephemeral green aura swirling around him, sparks flying from his muscular, formidable frame.
PICCOLO
If that's everything you foolish mortals can offer, then I must admit that you barely served as a distraction. I enjoyed playing with you, but my time runs short.
CUT to ECU of PICCOLO'S hand as he raises it before him, his palm flat. Slowly, energy swirls up his arm, twirling around each finger like a strand of hair before coming together, swirling into a great ball of green energy that sparkles, dangerously, as the camera CUTs back to ROSHI and his MASTER, on the ground, weakly pushing themselves to their feet, before CUTTING back to PICCOLO, an ECU of his lips curling into an amused sneer.
PICCOLO
Still willing to fight even if every bone in your body is turned to a fine powder. I like that. Any last words, mortals.
CUT back to ROSHI'S MASTER, who closes his eyes in contemplation, before opening them with a renewed vigor. He steps forward, withdrawing a single bottle from his pocket.
ROSHI'S MASTER
I have but one word to say to you, King Piccolo.
ROSHI's eyes snap into realization. He darts toward his master, his hands reached out for him.
YOUNG ROSHI
Master! Don't! You'll die otherwise!
CUT back to PICCOLO, his hand still outstretched, the light from the ball unable to illuminate his full face.
PICCOLO
Get on with it, old man. I have several trillion life forms to eradicate before morning.
CUT back to ROSHI'S MASTER, who walks forward, defiantly from his pupil.
ROSHI'S MASTER
I'm coming! You can't rush these sorts of things.
MASTER pops open the bottle, and places it on the ground. CUT back to YOUNG ROSHI, whose eyes are wide. His body is trembling as he clenches his fists, and locks his jaw. He reopens his eyes with new resolve, and darts forward, straight toward PICCOLO.
ROSHI'S MASTER
Roshi! Don't you dare interrupt us!
ROSHI ignores him, and soars straight toward PICCOLO. Rapidly, his fists fly, his knuckles soaring, his eyes out for blood. CUT to a shot from behind, LA. ROSHI's fists soar straight at PICCOLO, but the alien evades each blow, lazily stepping to the side. By the tenth strike, PICCOLO grabs ROSHI'S wrist (show this in an ECU), and twists it, harshly, snapping his arm without effort. ROSHI shrieks in pain as PICCOLO swings him into the air, and leaps up after him.
CUT back to ROSHI'S MASTER, who swears silently to himself.
ROSHI'S MASTER
Damn fool!
CUT back to ROSHI and PICCOLO, who're high above the MASTER. PICCOLO is brutally slamming his fists into ROSHI's ribs, shattering them with ease. ROSHI doubles over PICCOLO's shoulder, gagging on what appears to be his own blood. PICCOLO then grabs him by his ankle, spinning him around in a massive arc, a grin on his shadowy face, before throwing ROSHI to the wayside. CUT far away to show ROSHI slam straight through three columns of rock before finally slamming into the Earth, a bloody mess.
CUT back to ROSHI'S MASTER, who is praying, a slow green aura slowly wafting out around the bottle he withdrew, swirling around his hands as he starts to make symbols with his hand, humming softly to himself some sort of ancient hymn.
CUT back to PICCOLO, who slowly descends upon the broken ROSHI. A grin spreads across the alien's lips as he reaches down, curling his fingers around the weakened warrior's throat. He heaves him up, holding ROSHI above his head. He holds his other hand back, a soft, fearsome ball of pure energy, pure green energy, forming in his hand in a manner similar to the first ball.
PICCOLO
What drove you to strike me, boy? Pride? Honor?
YOUNG ROSHI
(weakly, strained) No. I just couldn't stand looking at that ugly face of yours for another second.
ROSHI slams his heel straight into PICCOLO's chest, knocking him backward. The alien releases him, his eyes wide in pain as he coughs on his own green blood. As he stumbles back, ROSHI delivers a second blow, an uppercut to the face. PICCOLO is thrown into the air, as ROSHI leaps up, level with the alien. In slow-mo, ROSHI, now in the air with PICCOLO, slams his foot down, stomping him down, as the two soar back to Earth, the ground shuddering as he drills deeper and deeper into the earth, a crater forming in his wake, filthy ground drifting in the air around them.
CUT back to ROSHI'S MASTER, the green aura now entirely enveloping him. Slowly, he drifts into the air, sparks of emerald surrounding him, as his very eyes turn emerald. He throws his hands out before him, a determined expression on his face.
ROSHI'S MASTER
MAFUBA!!!
CUT back to ROSHI looks up in shock, his eyes wide in terror.
YOUNG ROSHI
No! Master! Don't do it! I have him down for the co—
A jet of green energy surges from the ground, soaring straight out from under ROSHI. It spirals into the air like a great corkscrew, projecting ROSHI through the wide beam of energy, wide enough to entirely envelop him. The energy fades away, PICCOLO rising up from the falling ashes as ROSHI falls amongst the hot embers, his body bruised and bloody.
PICCOLO
And now to fini—
Waves of snake-like energy swirl from off-screen, wrapping around PICCOLO's arm with breakneck pace. PICCOLO turns to look at the energy as it envelops him, tugging him backward, his eyes wide with fear.
PICCOLO
What is this madness!?
CUT back to ROSHI'S MASTER, who is the source of the energy, the waves emanating of off his being and the bottle. Sweat pours from his forehead as he remains, in deepest concentration, the energy now entirely enveloping PICCOLO. The alien is dragged into the air, spiraling through space, his screams of pain audible as the energy digs into his flesh, his veins pulsating and increasing in mass.
ROSHI'S MASTER
And now, Demon King Piccolo, enjoy your stay in HELL!!!
CUT to PICCOLO's POV, as he is thrown into the bottle at breakneck speed, the world blurring into a field of green. Upon entering the bottle, there is a flash of light.
TITLE CARD
FADE TO BLACK
EXT SMALL ISLAND
CUT to ES of a tropical island, trees and sun everywhere. CUT to LA of birds flying through the air, against the sun, before CUTTING to a small hut on the shore, what appears to be a dojo of sorts.
INT. DOJO
ECU of fists flying at one another, hands blocking hands from attacking the target.
CUT to EXT DOJO
An old man with a beard, MASTER ROSHI is sitting out in front, his face behind a pornography magazine. He is laughing softly to himself, clearly in an aroused daze.
ROSHI
Yes, yes, my sweet! You want some more shaving cream, yes you do…heeheehee…
CUT back to INT. DOJO
The fists are flying even faster, now showing more of the attackers as both sets of fists collide against each of their faces. The two warriors are thrown back as several martial artists watch in an arena in the center of the dojo. Both warriors fall against the ground before pushing themselves back up, bruised but determine to continue fighting. One warrior is a small Asian teenager named KRILLIN, his head shaved bald, a series of six dots on his head. The other, larger warrior, is a muscular teen, ethnicity unimportant, with messy hair and a small grin on his lips. This is GOKU. The two stare each other down, ECU of their eyes, KRILLIN's determined focused set and GOKU's amused, euphoric irises, before they both dart toward one another, their fists flying.
KRILLIN leaps into the air, almost levitating, as he throws fist after fist at Goku. The larger warrior dodges the blows, rolling onto the ground before pushing himself off of the wooden floor with his hands, his feet colliding into the back of KRILLIN's skull! He's thrown into the air as Goku returns to his feet, a grin on his lips. He kicks off of the ground, literally lifting into the air to pursue his target.
However, upon uniting with KRILLIN, the bald warrior spins around in air, catching GOKU by the wrists, a triumphant expression on his face. GOKU, dumbfounded, is unable to dodge KRILLIN's roundhouse kick to his skull, only able to take the blow, and slam against the wall to KRILLIN's left.
CUT to EXT. DOJO
ROSHI is still reading his pornography magazine when the wall to his left explodes outward, GOKU's body soaring through the air, only to land haphazardly onto the sand, spinning and thrashing before lying very still on the ground. ROSHI glances up from his magazine, removing the sunglasses he's wearing very slowly, in disapproval.
ROSHI
Damn, that's the fifth wall he's broken this month.
CUT back to GOKU, who pushes himself off of the sand, a mildly stunned, yet childlike, innocent stunned expression on his face as he stares at the wall he had just flown through. He seems undisturbed by KRILLIN, who is hopping out of the broken wall, his hands balled up into fists, ready to continue their fight outside
GOKU
Man, can't believe I let my guard down.
ROSHI
Goku, you idiot! You owe me a new wall, I'll have you know! And you too, Krillin!
KRILLIN
But, Master, we were just sparring a lit—
ROSHI
Don't you tell me! I made a good deal of money off of that last Martial Arts tournament, I'll have you know!
GOKU
Sorry about the wall, Master! Don't worry, I'll fix it all up—after I finish with Krillin!
ROSHI
Now just wait a Gosh darn—
GOKU darts forward, toward KRILLIN. He throws a powerful punch, which KRILLIN blocks with ease, only for KRILLIN to throw a punch at GOKU, which he blocks just as effortlessly. KRILLIN sends a powerful kick to GOKU's chest, throwing him into the air, only for the bald warrior to follow.
ROSHI
Oh, whom I kiddin'? I couldn't stop them…
GOKU and KRILLIN soar high in the sky, rapidly exchanging blows, their fists mere blurs in the wind. KRILLIN eventually manages to grab GOKU by the wrist, and swing him down toward the ground. CUT to ECU of ROSHI's eyes as they widen in terror. In their reflection, you can see GOKU's body soaring straight toward him. CUT to LS, for ROSHI to extend his hands, a great wave of energy bursting form his palms. It collides against GOKU, throwing him aside. He skids through the sand, leaving a great wave behind him as he trails down, before slowing to a halt.
CUT to GOKU rising from the sand, KRILLIN laughing hysterically at him as he spits sand out of his mouth. CUT back to MASTER ROSHI, who exhales slowly from his attack before slamming his palm across his forehead, dragging it down slowly, his face clearly betraying his distinct urge to ask why he ever took the two youths as pupils in the first place.
CUT
EXT. BURNING CITY
CUT to ES of city filled with great explosions. Buildings topple down upon themselves. CUT to shots of the innocent civilians running for their lives, only for great jets of vermillion energy to surge from Off-screen, plunging through their chests before leaving them cold and dead. A tough looking blonde haired woman named LAUNCH is running away, into a dark corridor of a house, clutching what appears to be a small little ball in her hands. She frantically glances over her shoulder again and again to see if any energy blasts are following her. Eventually, she darts into a closet, falling into a fetal position. CUT to an ECU of the ball in her hand, the 2-Star Dragonball. CUT to CU of LAUNCH's face before the sound of shattering wood fills the air. She recoils, and reaches for her hip, where a gun holster is procured.
MAI
(os) Where is it, Piano? I'm sick and tired of just blasting through all this garbage!
PIANO
(os) Just a minute, just a minute, Mai. Calm down just a—
MAI
(os) How can I calm down when you're just going to babble endlessly about this garbage? How am I going to get my wish unless you—
LAUNCH raises her pistol to the wood, slowly, as the two speak beyond her range of vision, sweat billowing slowly over her forehead. She clenches her jaw, ready to pull the trigger.
PIANO
(os) Just hold on now. I can sense the Ball, so don't worry. It's right here, in this room. Somewhere.
MAI
(os) Somewhere, huh?
LAUNCH flinches as the sound of an explosion fills the air. Light filters out from underneath the door, the sound of shattering wood, glass, and concrete filling the air.
PIANO
(os) What are you doing!? You might destroy the ball, and if you do that, then how would we grant your wish?
MAI
(os) I know where the ball is, stupid freak.
PIANO
(os) You do?
MAI
(os) Of course I do. You can sense the Dragonball's energy, but I can sense human energy. And there's a person here, in this room, right behind that door, just listening to every thing we're saying.
CUT to ECU of LAUNCH's eyes dilating. CUT to MS of LAUNCH aiming the gun at the door, her hands trembling, before a feminine hand bursts inside the closet, wood splintering apart, as the fingers wrap themselves around LAUNCH's throat. In a sharp jerk, LAUNCH is torn from the closet, and into the other room. She's thrown to the floor by MAI, a tall Japanese woman with short black hair. She's accompanied by a monster named PIANO, who is fearsome, with a long snout and wings sprouting from his shoulders. The Dragonball slips from LAUNCH's hand. Camera pans to follow the ball as it lands by PIANO's feet. He bends down to reach for it, but a bullet soars from off-screen to puncture his skull. CUT back to LAUNCH, holding her pistol at an arm's length away. PIANO tumbles to the ground, only for MAI to kick him aside, and pluck the DRAGONBALL up herself.
MAI
Damn, he got it all bloody. Thanks a lot, girl! Do you realize how hard it is to find someone who can sense the Dragonballs?
LAUNCH aims her gun straight at MAI.
LAUNCH
I don't really give a—
LAUNCH pulls the trigger, the bang that accompanies it blocking out her swear. CAMERA follows the bullet as it shoots from the barrel, straight at MAI, who lazily extends her hand, and catches it in her palm. The bullet is crushed to a fine powder within her fingers before LAUNCH's horrified eyes.
LAUNCH
Just what are you, anyway?
MAI
The future Queen of the World, but it's not like you'll be there anyway to inhabit it.
EXT BUILDING
There is a great flash of light from within before the windows shatter outward as energy pulsates outward, enveloping the building before entirely annihilating it.
FADE OUT