The problem with this line of thought is that every Phase 2 movie, The Winter Soldier aside, is pretty separated from the overall actions of the rest of the MCU. It's to the point people shit up every new MCU movie with "Why didn't X Avenger show up?" I highly doubt the reason this fell apart is because there weren't enough cameos by the rest of the core group.
Hollywood Reporter: Edgar Wright just left Ant-Man
- Thread starter Bobby Roberts
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I don't think the Drew Goddard thing is really comparable. He took a higher profile gig directing the Sinister Six film. The writing was on the wall as soon as that news was announced.
Regarding the replacement director for Antman, as far as I'm concerned the major issue here is whether they are simply hiring someone to helm the project that Wright already prepared or if they are hiring someone to create a new project. I don't understand why they are holding firm on that release date. Antman would seem to be least important film to the Universe as a whole. Maybe they don't want to lose what they've already put into pre-production?
George Oscar Bluth II
Banned
I just don't know what to belieeeeve.
Poofynamanama
Banned
hahahahahahahahah oh my god thank you for this. it's probably scripted but I don't even care. the last two questions by edgar are hilarious. poor Michael cera hahahaha
Pai Pai Master
Banned
They're not, though. In Iron Man 3 Tony builds what is essentially an army of Iron Man drones, which has strong implications for what's going to happen in Age of Ultron. In Thor: The Dark World, Loki kills or abducts Odin and takes the throne of Asgard for himself. We know this is going to have major repercussions at some point with how central Asgard has been to the MCU so far, and who Loki previously allied himself with that will show up in an Avengers movie at some point. Sure they don't have the big obvious impact on the rest of the movies like SHIELD going under, but are definitely a part of the overall MCU arc.
It doesn't need to be lacking cameos to feel disconnected from the rest of the MCU and we had heard previously that Wright was not looking to make a movie that would essentially be another piece of the MCU puzzle. Probably part of why Feige was okay with aging up Pym so much and immediately passing the torch over to Lang - but if Wright had issues with Lang eventually becoming an Avenger and didn't want to incorporate anything like that into his script, then it could make sense. But I don't really know what I'm talking about, we're just speculating here and as I said, we'll probably never fully know what went on.
It doesn't need to be lacking cameos to feel disconnected from the rest of the MCU and we had heard previously that Wright was not looking to make a movie that would essentially be another piece of the MCU puzzle. Probably part of why Feige was okay with aging up Pym so much and immediately passing the torch over to Lang - but if Wright had issues with Lang eventually becoming an Avenger and didn't want to incorporate anything like that into his script, then it could make sense. But I don't really know what I'm talking about, we're just speculating here and as I said, we'll probably never fully know what went on.
First off the plan was always for Goddard to showrun (he'd already written the first two eps and was going to run the writers room) the 13 episodes of Daredevil and then move onto Sinister Six. He even became 'unattached' to a project at Fox because he was going to move onto running Daredevil.
This was all planned out ahead of time. Deals like this don't suddenly happen and then go away again on the turn of a dime because something else comes up. The industry simply doesn't work that way. IMHO Marvel were lucky that the project that Goodard was going to work on was a Marvel property at another studio because they could paint it as a 'transition'. It wasn't. For whatever reason things didn't work out and Goddard left the project.
Well given that the majority of the VFX work (pre viz etc) has already been done and that the cast will all have options that will run out if Marvel were to simply press rest on the whole thing I imagine that it would be cheaper for them in the long run to simply hire a 'shooter' to come in and work with what is already there.
When Joss Whedon come aboard The Avengers the frame work for that film and extensive planning VFX work had already been done. Though he wrote the script he was apparently more of a 'creative editorial' role on the project rather than a traditional director because so much work had already been done.
This is just how Marvel operate.
Hot Coldman
Banned
hahahahaha
this is some Popworld level shit
except it's totally staged but whatever
Interesting. I hadn't realized. It will be interesting to find out what actually happened with both of these situations once people actually feel more free to talk about it.
Interesting. I wonder who will be willing to take over a project like this.
I'm still simply amazed that they couldn't work something out with Wright. This just seems so drastic.
Discotheque
Banned
If he's on that night stalker gig I sure fucking hope he gets a rewrite on the script (bring in Cornish too)
That's so coincidental it almost sounds false!
(the playlist, for instance, is far from being MCU fanboys -- they seem to have a chip on their shoulder about the whole genre -- and they also reported hearing that Feige went to bat for Wright)
Defenestrated Donut
Neo Member
Whedon talks about this during his commentary for the Avengers Blu-Ray. He stated that a lot of the pre-visual work had been done for the fight between Iron Man and Thor before he came aboard. His job was to figure out why they were fighting.
Hopefully Whedon has been given more control in Age of Ultron.
Ninja Scooter
Member
marvel sounds like they treat their movies the way Activision treats Call of Duty games.
That was my thought too, but it's also possible that Sony is fast tracking production on Sinister Six and Godard is having to start on that movie earlier than he thought.
BronsonLee
Member
How so? I always thought it was very odd that Ant Man was coming out so soon after Avengers 2; moving it back would probably help them a bit, no?
Either way, man oh man does this thing seem troubled now
Originally, it was on the schedule for November 6, 2015 before it got bumped up last year. If the crew departures are that significant, I wouldn't be surprised if it does wind up going back to that date, but that would put it right in the warpath of Bond 24, which is currently scheduled on that same November 6 date.
Marvel may have move up the production schedule of another film like Captain America 3 or Dr Strange, which could adversely affect those films.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
They can't really pull off what they have and will with a hands-off approach. For better or worse, they need to have a significant amount of control over every aspect of their movies in order for this whole MCU thing to work as intended.
It's not necessarily bad, and isn't all good, but it is a very different way of making movies.
But yeah. They have been banking on Ant-Man kicking off Phase 3 for a while now. If it can't make 2015 then they will have to do some major reorganizing of the groundwork that is already laid in order to lead up to Avengers 3.
That would mean the script would have to be rewritten. I don't see it happening.
BronsonLee
Member
Oooh, good points guys, thanks. It kinda is a now or never thing then, isn't it? I wonder when we'll get the whole story about what happened. Probably in Feige's memoirs
George Oscar Bluth II
Banned
Delay it. Age of Ultron to be the only Marvel Studios film in 2015. It's one of the only ways to save this film.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-ant-man-director-edgar-707374
More at link. They confirm that Wright walked after Marvel had some other dudes rewrite the script without his input.
More at link. They confirm that Wright walked after Marvel had some other dudes rewrite the script without his input.
BlackNMild2k1
Member
But he's still on the project, just not in a day to day way like he would have been before.
He stepped aside to focus on Sinister Six but will stay with Daredevil as a consultant of some sort.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/steven-deknight-set-as-daredevil-703693
So he didn't completely abandon the project, I would just assume that Sony wanted to get up and running on Sinister SIx ASAP with the performance of ASM2 being a little more than underwhelming. Probably need to get the script drafts underway so they can tweak it to the "best" possible product to right the ship that's gone wrong for Spider-man before it's too late.
Franchise Fatigue be damned.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
The Hollywood Reporter is as reliable as you're going to get.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
You mean bollocks as in the situation is shitty, or bollocks as in you doubt the veracity of the report?
The Hollywood Reporter doesn't make shit up or run specious rumors. if they printed the story, it's because they have (multiple) verifiable sources giving it to them. They (and Variety) are an industry paper, not a fansite.
The Marvel stuff is very collaborative. Gunn's perspective on this seems likely to be the definitive statement on the issue.
Marvel's eager to cement its MO: To blandly go where no studio has gone before.
It's hard to know whether that means he's actively doing any more work, or just receiving that credit for what he's already done.
It's hard to know whether that means he's actively doing any more work, or just receiving that credit for what he's already done.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
"consultant" is almost always an honorary title at best. It's rare that a "consultant" often contributes all that much to important story pieces or the general shape of the work.
At best, "Consultant" is like a spot-checker.
At best, "Consultant" is like a spot-checker.
More likely that they'd just delay Ant-Man to later in 2015 than that they'd rush either of those into production in the next ~6 months (which would be necessary to meet a 2015 date).
The first Avengers was the only MCU movie in 2012 right? I think it'd be best to give Avengers it's own year. Have Cap 3 start off Phase 3 and put Ant Man in mid to late 2016.
Jason's Ultimatum
Member
This happens quite a bit. Directors find out scripts are being rewritten, gets pissed without anyone telling them, and walks away.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
To be fair, Wright at least read the script they laid on him. Sounds like it just confirmed that Marvel weren't interested in making the film he wanted to make and were instead looking to make the same safe slop they've been churning out to big bucks.
George Oscar Bluth II
Banned
Either that (most likely) or it was a decent/good script that Wright just didn't like and it didn't fit his vision.
But it's been under development for 8 years. It doesn't make sense that this could happen immediately prior to the beginning of filming. Presumably a large amount of pre-production work has already been done.
Nah both of those sound unrealistic if you look at the amount of publicity and time they gave Wright.
I'm not saying the Hollywood Reporter's report is bullshit, but it sounds like someone wanted that to be reported.
What I'm implying is that the "singularity of vision" and the reasons Wright left are completely unrelated. It sounds like Marvel Studios is unhappy about someone heavy handing something, and it's apparently not Feige : he had put too much time and efforts into Wright's vision to be him.
Edit : I'm also implying that there's a new producer trying to overrun the thing Feige built by doing bad publicity.
I'm sure it's way simpler, and way more idiotic than a simple rewrite. I'm sure it's similar to a new producer showing up in meetings and asking everyone to put a gian spider in the movie. Because reasons.
Never underestimate Hollywood's ability to second-guess itself in the poorest ways.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Again, THR isn't some movie blog. They verify with multiple sources or they don't print. If it's coming out of THR, Deadline or Variety, it's pretty much certain what happened.
Marvel decided to step in last minute and fuck it up and Wright wasn't having it. You have to remember that this studio is responsible for some of the biggest box office films in history now and are probably increasingly nervous of breaking that streak and will continue to get more risk averse.
ETA: haha, people doubting THR now. Give me a fucking break
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Well, yeah, of course someone wanted it to be reported. That's how MOST news works.
Someone wants to tell a story. They tell a news outlet. That outlet investigates the story.
Feige is the president of Marvel Studios. "Another new producer" is not going to be able to come in an overrun him.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
The first step is admitting it. But Marvel's films (and I mean treating each as a standalone film) have never come across as creatively risky (or hell, creative). They all feel very market-tested and pre-packaged. So I don't know why it would suddenly come as a shock that Wright's style suddenly makes them nervous.
Father_Brain
Banned
The rumor reported elsewhere is that someone at Disney came in above Feige's head, and Feige stood up for Wright. He lost, obviously.
Despite THR's reputation, I find this more plausible than blaming it on Feige, simply because he had worked with Wright on the project for so long. Why would he suddenly change his mind about it after eight years, and so close to the start of production?
demosthenes
Member
Guardians seems like the same safe slop to you?
Well one article earlier said execs are apparently nervous about Guardians Of The Galaxy as well maybe this whole situation is consequence of that.
As the current marketing for that film is sadly all over the place. If that bombs say goodbye to any 'challenging' marvel comics getting adapted for screen.
They'll stick to the sure bets.
demosthenes
Member
If Guardians bombs I'll eat my shoe.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
It's certainly not as risky as people want to make it sound.
It's Firefly, essentially.
Granted, Serenity didn't make that much money, but Serenity didn't have the full weight of the Marvel marketing machine behind it, either.
Wait, so if you don't think there's even a possibility it'll bomb, then how the hell is it risky?
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