Mike Leigh Has No Plans On Directing Any Comic Book Films

With everyone and their mothers seemingly hell-bent on jumping into the world of superhero films (even auteurs like Darren Aronofsky), it’s always nice to see one director equally set in his ways about not jumping on the caped bandwagon.

In a recent interview with Movieline, in promotion of his latest film, Another Year, director Mike Leigh (Naked, Topsy-Turvy) not only discussed his latest film, but also his thoughts on the superhero film genre, of which he’s not the biggest fan of.

‘Well, see, the thing is, in the proper wide context of what we call world cinema, of which Hollywood is a tiny little sliver, it’s very natural for lots of us out here in the world cinema to make organic films about the real world in a completely non-Hollywood way. Because Hollywood is not really part of our world ‘” it’s not what it’s about. Personal films, in other words, made without interference. I am that kind of filmmaker. I use film to make a personal kind of film in a very specific, particular way. And there is no more reason for me to do what I think your suggesting than there would for me to give up being a film director an become the pilot of a jumbo jet flying across the Atlantic. Or a brain surgeon or, indeed, a coal miner.’

Personally, while I’m not the biggest fan of the superhero genre of films as a whole, I do think that we are set to have a golden age if it were. With directors like the aforementioned Black Swan helmer jumping aboard Wolverine, and Zack Snyder taking on Superman, comic book films may not have been previously the most critically acclaimed films ever, but who knows what is in store with directors like that at the helm.

Even the Criterion Collection may soon add a comic book film to their collection, with the long-talked-about addition of Terry Zwigoff’s Ghost World. That said, seeing a director of Leigh’s stature stand against the genre is equally as interesting. Hopefully he won’t be dragged down with the rest of modern, American big budget filmmaking.

Source: Movieline

3 comments

Jamie S. Rich says:

December 23, 2010 at 9:27 am

“Comic book film” and “superhero film” is not an interchangeable term. This is a ludicrous question regardless, not sure why it needs re-reporting. What rational human being ever stopped and thought, “Shit, you know who would make an awesome Wonder Woman film? Mike Leigh!” Anyone ask him what he thinks of westerns? War movies? Sci-fi? How come no one asks the Wachowski Bros. when they are going to adapt a Shelagh Delaney play?
Ralph Greco says:

December 24, 2010 at 2:46 pm

I have to disagree that we are entering a “golden age” of superhero films. It’s more like we’re entering the abyss of CGI hell.

The reason studios have turned to these established franchises is because films have become so expensive to market and produce that studios must hedge their bets on a potential “sure thing” with an already built in audience. Good business maybe, but horrible for creativity and originality.

The glut of bloated, throw in everything and the kitchen sink super hero/ genre films is proof of this. Good storytelling has been put on the back burner to eye candy and that has never been a hallmark of good filmmaking. Studio execs bet their jobs on the success of these types of films which leaves little room for any kind of unique vision to be expressed no matter who the director is.

Aronofsky has repeatedly said that the reason he is doing Wolverine ( a reboot a mere two years after the first one) is because he wants to be in a situation where everyone wants the film to get made as opposed to his usual realm where he is the only one fighting for the integrity of the project. I get this, but it does sound a bit lazy. In this current climate Richard Donner would have never been allowed to make the original Superman the way he wanted to — a film, I think is arguably, the best super-hero film of all.