The best superhero films to hit theatres recently have had some pretty awesome directorial names behind them. But there are a number of cult directors who have publicly declined franchise films (Joe Cornish), or expressed their lack of interest (Neill Blomkamp). You can now add The Raid: Redemption director Gareth Evans to the list of directors not about to make a PG-13 superhero movie.
Speaking with Flicks And The City (via The Playlist), it sounds like the director is not eager to make the jump to big budget Marvel movies:
It’s tough. The thing is right now, where I am, the kind of things that I’m doing, I don’t know if I fit the superhero mold yet. It’s something I need to learn at some point but I don’t know if I can deliver a PG-13 movie. I don’t know how to do that yet. I should learn but yeah, I’m not sure. Maybe a darker, superhero [film] from Marvel.
Interesting that Evans cites the PG-13 rating as his major stumbling block, while also admitting that doing a darker film would be something he can imagine. While he never says never, he’s just one more in the line of action filmmakers expressing a lack of interest in the superhero genre.
Why is this an important issue to consider, besides the fact that yet another cult action director has begged off the idea of making a superhero film? Well, consider the dearth of truly unique and competent directors in Hollywood today. While it’s very easy to find someone who wants to make a superhero movie for millions of dollars, those films are threatening to become a little rote and a little regular.
Zack Snyder can only be stretched so far, and the same goes for Joss Whedon. There are many directors out there who would have an interesting take on the superhero genre, if the studios could allow them free reign. But Marvel probably doesn’t want to give a director like Gareth Evans the opportunity to truly darken the genre, and Evans wouldn’t be able to deliver a PG-13 tentpole film.
It’s actually quite a conundrum as superhero movies and other franchises stretch into the next decade. Constantly delivering milquetoast action flicks just to get that PG-13 rating might begin to tire adult audiences, especially as we get into the lesser known heroes. You can’t always depend on the wallets of 14 year old boys.
