News of Edgar Wright leaving Ant-Man shocked the internet world and geeks all around this week. On Friday evening, both Wright and Marvel Studios made a joint announcement that the director would no longer be a part of the project. Since production is to commence in a few weeks and Marvel is sticking to their July 2015 release, a new director will be named in a matter of days.
But for Wright, who has been writing the project for the better part of eight years, to suddenly pick up and leave just weeks before the start stirred up some interesting speculation. Rumors ranging from an overdue delay to a bleeding production started to arise. But how is it that the man who has written the script for the film and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige having complete faith in could come to such a terrible conclusion?
The reasons, or reported reasons, behind Wright’s departure are interesting. Hit the jump to read what they are.
Latino Review has the exclusive scoop on what went down and they tend to break more Marvel Comics news than any other news outlet does, and since this is much bigger than a casting rumor, we’ll take it for more than a grain of salt.
While Disney/Marvel and Wright would like to let you think that it was creative differences that split them apart and that it was mutual decision, it couldn’t be further from the truth, according to the report.
Marvel reportedly had some issues with the script, most of it concerning some notes 3 months ago from Marvel that said that “the core morality of the piece, must include franchise characters. etc.” Wright and co-writer Joe Cornish then did some rewrites that Marvel had requested without compromising their vision.
However, the problems started six weeks ago, when Marvel Studios decided to move the writing assignment to two very low credit writers. Wright agreed to the decision, and would see what kind of changes were made, and then he would move forward from there. But when the script came in this week, it was described as “completely undone” and “Poorer, homogenized, and not Edgar’s vision.” Hours later, Wright would leave, which was followed by the PR announcement of the amicable split.
Word is that Feige has been fighting for Wright and Cornish’s script all along, and that the request for the rewrites came from a power higher than the Marvel Studios President, possibly as high as Disney CEO Alan Horn, Latino Review adds that rumors about Wright being behind schedule or bleeding the budget dry is completely false.
We won’t really know what happened until Wright or Marvel clears the air about the situation, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Until then, we have signs of solidarity as Avengers: Age Of Ultron director Joss Whedon and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn have shared their thoughts on Wright no longer directing Ant-Man.
Gunn’s shared his thoughts on his Facebook fan page:
Sometimes you have friends in a relationship. You love each of them dearly as individuals and think they’re amazing people. When they talk to you about their troubles, you do everything you can to support them, to keep them together, because if you love them both so much doesn’t it make sense they should love each other? But little by little you realize, at heart, they aren’t meant to be together – not because there’s anything wrong with either of them, but they just don’t have personalities that mesh in a comfortable way. They don’t make each other happy. Although it’s sad to see them split, when they do, you’re surprisingly relieved, and excited to see where their lives take them next.
It’s easy to try to make one party “right” and another party “wrong” when a breakup happens, but it often isn’t that simple. Or perhaps it’s even more simple than that – not everyone belongs in a relationship together. It doesn’t mean they’re not wonderful people.
And that’s true of both Edgar Wright and Marvel. One of them isn’t a person, but I think you get what I mean.
Now that this has come out, what do you guys think of the situation?
[Source: Latino Review]
this is what occurs when a gifted creative person is faced with the cookie cutter mind set of the people in charge of the purse strings.
Comment by Mechhead13 — May 25, 2014 @ 4:30 pm
You can dress it up all you want but this was a stupid mistake on Wright’s part. Eight years ago the story would not have incorporated elements for other franchise movies and projects because the MCU wasn’t the powerhouse it is now. Even if his “vision” is diluted down or homogenized, it has been done to appease the audience. The audience that has given over 6 billion at the box office and has averaged 60 percent more per film in phase II vs. phase I. There has to be a balance of art vs. commerce here. Wright can go make independent films on his own dime but if he wants the clout and recognition of a 6+ billion dollar franchise behind his movie making credits he will have to stop acting like a baby. This was nothing more than a temper tantrum and completely unprofessional to do this days before production starts. Good luck to him but maybe the fans are better off.
Comment by ekimevery — May 25, 2014 @ 5:17 pm
It takes a man to walk away from 8 years of writing and production to say hey.. ,” I wont put my name to this.”
More power to him.
Comment by julube — May 25, 2014 @ 6:36 pm
this is what happens when money becomes the be all and end all of filmmaking. Edgar Wright has shown he can deliver great movies and for the last eight years Marvel has told him how fantastic his script was. Now at the last minute they bring in two studio hacks totally rewrite the script and tell him this is the film you are going to make. The changes made were not made to improve the script but to make it a cookie cutter of all previous Marvel movies. This is bean counter thinking. Mr. Wright has had 8 years of his life stolen by false promises from people who truly don’t give a damn about the fans but only care about the bottom line. This is a case of Commerce using art to wipe its ass. Mr. Wright did not throw “a temper tantrum” or act unprofessionally he was given no choice but walk away and so far has shown himself to be a true professional. That shows us that we should be very afraid for the future of marvel studios and the marvel characters that I for one have followed since the mid sixties.
Comment by Mechhead13 — June 2, 2014 @ 2:35 pm