Ant-Man Edgar Wright Leaves Ant-Man!! - Part 2

[DA_Champion]

You guys are really gonna keep going on this? Wow.

If you don't find the topic interesting then leave the thread.

 

[CyclopsWasRight]

This topic should be locked I think for everyones best interest. Its just a place where people complain/fight now it seems. Lets all move on and just focus on the Peyton Reed AM film.

Or people could actually move on and discuss something that's relevant to the movie that's going forward.

Apply that to this thread too.

 

[TeeKay]

Scott Pilgrim bombed.

Just found out.

I have seen every MCU movie in the cinema twice and bought them all on BD with the exception of IM3 and Thor 2, but thats because I have just been living abroad for a year and couldnt afford it.

I also read lots of comics from Marvel and plenty of other companies and have read some Ant-Man stories.

With Wright at the helm, we were guaranteed to get a good movie at the least IMO, my main worry with him leaving and Peyton Reed taking over is that we wont.

It's still Wright's script with minor changes. Feige said so. But fair enough.

Here is my point. I love Edgar Wright's movies as well. But his being the director alone wasn't going to guarantee this movie become a hit. He's not Christopher Nolan.

Well it's an MCU film it is going to make money regardless of who is at the helm. But I agree with you over all.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

It's still Wright's script with minor changes. Feige said so. But fair enough.

A good script can still turn into a bad movie, but again, we will see. I am again more than happy to be proven wrong on this.

 

[DA_Champion]

Wright and Cornish left so it was not minor changes. It's confirmed that they left because the script had been homogenised.

Further, they've hired Adam MacKay to modify the script.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Wright and Cornish left so it was not minor changes. It's confirmed that they left because the script had been homogenised.

Further, they've hired Adam MacKay to modify the script.

 

[The Endless]

Do we actually know for certain why Wright left?

All i know is Marvel gave him 8 years to do this thing. Surely if they had differences then it would have come to a head in the conception and screenplay drafting stages... not a couple months before cameras were rolling.

I just don't understand why they'd give the guy 8 years to do his thing... then right at the final furlong have a falling out? Makes no sense to me. It must have been more than creative differences.

Either way, Joss Whedon and Shane Black, much bigger names who can pick and choose what they wanna do, had to collaborate with the studio... so why should Wright expect total freedom?

 

[DA_Champion]

Do we actually know for certain why Wright left?

All i know is Marvel gave him 8 years to do this thing. Surely if they had differences then it would have come to a head in the conception and screenplay drafting stages... not a couple months before cameras were rolling.

I just don't understand why they'd give the guy 8 years to do his thing... then right at the final furlong have a falling out? Makes no sense to me. It must have been more than creative differences.

Either way, Joss Whedon and Shane Black, much bigger names who can pick and choose what they wanna do, had to collaborate with the studio... so why should Wright expect total freedom?

We know that Edgar Wright and Film Critic Hulk are close friends, as Edgar Wright wrote an introduction for the Screenwriting textbook that Hulk wrote:
http://www.amazon.com/Screenwriting...d=1406119577&sr=8-1&keywords=film+critic+hulk

So I trust Badass Digest as a source on this issue, I've even seen speculation that Hulk = Cornish. Anyway, Edgar Wright was ready to go. Marvel took one last swipe at the script, Wright and Cornish chose to walk because the script was homogenised. I had to ask what the term meant lol.

There are no angels or heroes here, let's stop picking sides, it's just people/groups pursuing their own interests. Marvel is understandably conservative with their product given that they're printing money, and Wright is an auteur who can't put his heart into a generic product. It's fine. Some directors are successful with this approach, others are not.

Where did you get the idea that Joss Whedon can pick and choose what he wants to do? His career was not in a great position in 2010. Dollhouse had just been cancelled, and WB had recently rejected his Wonder Woman pitch. His only recent film feature (Serenity) had been a box office mediocrity.

 

[The Endless]

In terms of screenplays he can. This is the guy who wrote Toy Story and created Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Then he directs the third biggest movie ever. Not as much power as Shane Black, whose spec screenplays sell for millions of dollars.

I'm not taking sides. But look at it like this. Marvel gave the guy 8 years. 8 ****ing years to do this thing. That's an absurd amount of leeway. Who else gets that treatment from movie studios?

And i love Wright. His Cornetto Trilogy is amazing. Shaun of the Dead is one of the best comedies ever as far as i'm concerned. But he isn't a guy who can make demands. He's never made a blockbuster. He should understand that if you're gonna work for a big studio you will have to collaborate and you won't get everything you're own way. Shane Black realized this. Joss Whedon realized this. Why didn't Wright?

Now if it is true that Marvel doctored his screenplay without his permission... that is bang out of order. And i totally respect Wright for keeping his integrity.

But i just can't see how Marvel would invest in this guy for 8 years, listen to his ideas for 8 years, stand by him for 8 years... then stab him in the back at the 11th hour.

It's not like a Taylor/Thor 2 issue here. He wasn't backed for 8 years.

And i've heard rumours that HULK is Cornish too. That'd be awesome.

 

[DA_Champion]

In terms of screenplays he can. This is the guy who wrote Toy Story and created Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Then he directs the third biggest movie ever. Not as much power as Shane Black, whose spec screenplays sell for millions of dollars.

Toy Story has six screenwriters.
Whedon's career was in a tenuous position in 2010. It's in a strong position now, because of Marvel.

I'm not taking sides. But look at it like this. Marvel gave the guy 8 years. 8 ****ing years to do this thing. That's an absurd amount of leeway. Who else gets that treatment from movie studios?

And i love Wright. His Cornetto Trilogy is amazing. Shaun of the Dead is one of the best comedies ever as far as i'm concerned. But he isn't a guy who can make demands. He's never made a blockbuster. He should understand that if you're gonna work for a big studio you will have to collaborate and you won't get everything you're own way. Shane Black realized this. Joss Whedon realized this. Why didn't Wright?

Now if it is true that Marvel doctored his screenplay without his permission... that is bang out of order. And i totally respect Wright for keeping his integrity.

But i just can't see how Marvel would invest in this guy for 8 years, listen to his ideas for 8 years, stand by him for 8 years... then stab him in the back at the 11th hour.

It's not like a Taylor/Thor 2 issue here. He wasn't backed for 8 years.

And i've heard rumours that HULK is Cornish too. That'd be awesome.

Marvel has grown as a studio in the past 8 years. When they started, their backs were against the wall, their only two options were risk-taking or bankruptcy, so they went with risk-taking. That gave us Iron Man and tried to give us Ant-Man.

Now, they're basically printing money. They have a magic formula, an assembly line through which their movies pass, and they're going to stick to it. If they take risks, it's on their own terms.

As for Marvel giving Wright 8 years -- that goes both ways. He can't start filming until they allow filming to begin. He was ready to start filming, but they homogenised the script.

 

[The Endless]

Whatever happened... it's a shame. Wright was the only reason i was interested in this film.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Toy Story has six screenwriters.
Whedon's career was in a tenuous position in 2010. It's in a strong position now, because of Marvel.



Marvel has grown as a studio in the past 8 years. When they started, their backs were against the wall, their only two options were risk-taking or bankruptcy, so they went with risk-taking. That gave us Iron Man and tried to give us Ant-Man.

Now, they're basically printing money. They have a magic formula, an assembly line through which their movies pass, and they're going to stick to it. If they take risks, it's on their own terms.

As for Marvel giving Wright 8 years -- that goes both ways. He can't start filming until they allow filming to begin. He was ready to start filming, but they homogenised the script.

I dont get this thing that its Edgar Wrights fault the movie took 8 years to come to fruition. Marvel are just as responsible for this, they chose to release other movies first.

Whatever happened... it's a shame. Wright was the only reason i was interested in this film.

Same here, I have read Ant-Man, mostly in other heroes stories and I like him, but I am not a huge fan or anything. Really on paper Wright should have been perfect for Marvel, Many Marvel movies try and fail at doing humerous scenes that follow really sad ones, its ruined a couple of their movies for me, IM3 and Thor 2 most notably. Wright is someone who can have you crying one minute, then laughing the next, and have it feel totally natural.

This is something Wright does in all of his movies, and something Marvel have failed miserably at in a few of theirs, it should have been the perfect marriage really. Shame.

 

[Dyson]

I dont get this thing that its Edgar Wrights fault the movie took 8 years to come to fruition. Marvel are just as responsible for this, they chose to release other movies first.



Same here, I have read Ant-Man, mostly in other heroes stories and I like him, but I am not a huge fan or anything. Really on paper Wright should have been perfect for Marvel, Many Marvel movies try and fail at doing humerous scenes that follow really sad ones, its ruined a couple of their movies for me, IM3 and Thor 2 most notably. Wright is someone who can have you crying one minute, then laughing the next, and have it feel totally natural.

This is something Wright does in all of his movies, and something Marvel have failed miserably at in a few of theirs, it should have been the perfect marriage really. Shame.

Sometimes what seems to be a perfect creative mix for a project between two parties doesn't always work out as planned. Yes, an Edgar Wright directed Ant-Man sounds very awesome, but it just isn't meant to be. I think most people who were so upset with Wright's departure just wanted a new Edgar Wright film. You'll have that with "Baby Driver" now, but that said, Wright isn't the only person who can bring this character to life. Peyton Reed is a good director and a huge comic book fan with strong ties to Marvel. I have no doubt that Reed will deliver an awesome take on Ant-Man next summer. And with an Adam McKay rewritten screenplay, Marvel has put their faith into both Reed and McKay on this film. Plus, keep in mind that the overall story and DNA of this film is from Wright so a part of his vision will still be presented.

Keep calm and believe in Peyton Reed, Adam McKay and Marvel.

 

[Sockie]

Marvel are just as responsible for this, they chose to release other movies first.

Because Wright was busy, and wanted to get more experience with special effects first. It would have been crazy to stop dozens of projects from coming to fruition because his was put on hold.

 

[TeeKay]

I'm sure they let him do The World's End because one of his friends was dying of cancer or something. Besides Feige mentioned that they wrote the entire MCU to accomodate Wright's Ant-Man. I'm not sure how it could be Marvel could be as responsible when it was Wright who was asking for more time. pretty sure I read this somewhere.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Apply that to this thread too.

Yes, we should shut down any discussion that CyclopsWasRight dislikes.

 

[chamber-music]

I dont get this thing that its Edgar Wrights fault the movie took 8 years to come to fruition. Marvel are just as responsible for this, they chose to release other movies first.

Kevin Feige said they would make Ant-Man whenever Edgar is ready and thet he would even break Marvel's two movie a year policy to accommodate Edgar's Ant-Man.

Edgar was all due to direct Ant-Man a few years ago until he found out his movie producer friend who gave him his big break had cancer so Edgar pulled out to make The World's End in honour of him.

Not many film studios would allow a director to put a multi-million dollar movie on hold to make film for another studio.

Also Edgar Wright himself says he only focuses on one project at a time so that during those 8 years very little development was actually done on Ant-Man until the last couple of years.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^I know and have read all of this, and it was really great of Marvel to do it, but at the same time, do you really think Marvel would have released an Ant-Man movie before we got Iron Man, Hulk, Thor or Captain America movies?

No chance, phase 2 is the earliest we would have seen Ant-Man anyway, but after the success of the Iron Man movies, Thor and Cap, and of course The Avengers, I still think IM3, Thor 2 and Cap 2 would have come before it.

 

[Ragnaroknroll]

Yes, we should shut down any discussion that CyclopsWasRight dislikes.

People can still have hope that certain rights will return to Marvel Studios someday but as far as this topic - Edgar Wright is never coming back.

 

[Ragnaroknroll]

No chance, phase 2 is the earliest we would have seen Ant-Man anyway, but after the success of the Iron Man movies, Thor and Cap, and of course The Avengers, I still think IM3, Thor 2 and Cap 2 would have come before it.

You don't really know any of this. Joss Whedon's original script for Avengers had a huge role for the Wasp that he had to remove. And yes Feige is on record for saying the following:

We changed, frankly some of the MCU to accommodate this version of Ant-Man. Knowing what we wanted to do with Edgar and with Ant-Man, going years and years back, helped to dictate what we did with the roster for Avengers the first time. It was a bit of both in terms of his idea for the Ant-Man story influencing the birth of the MCU in the early films leading up to Avengers.

http://collider.com/ant-man-news-kevin-feige-thanos/

 

[Ragnaroknroll]

How awesome is this poster?

Totally geeked out when I saw it. Seeing our hero riding a flying ant looks like something ripped straight out of Tales to Astonish.

 

[TheVision]

The fact that Marvel accomodated the entire MCU for Wrights Ant Man just pisses me off more about him bailing after 8 years.

....Please continue with the dead horse beating

 

[Dyson]

The fact that Marvel accomodated the entire MCU for Wrights Ant Man just pisses me off more about him bailing after 8 years.

....Please continue with the dead horse beating

It just tells me Wright didn't want to play fair with Marvel Studios. Yeah, the fact that Marvel reworked plans for the MCU just for Wright sounds like the people at Marvel really wanted to make it work with the director, but it sounds like Wright felt it was his way or the highway. Exit Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, enter Peyton Reed and Adam McKay.

Peyton Reed, Adam McKay and Marvel Studios for the win.

 

[Shikamaru]

^I know and have read all of this, and it was really great of Marvel to do it, but at the same time, do you really think Marvel would have released an Ant-Man movie before we got Iron Man, Hulk, Thor or Captain America movies?

No chance, phase 2 is the earliest we would have seen Ant-Man anyway, but after the success of the Iron Man movies, Thor and Cap, and of course The Avengers, I still think IM3, Thor 2 and Cap 2 would have come before it.

Honestly, I don't think we would have seen an Ant-Man film at all. Hank and Jan would have most likely been incorporated into the Avengers, much like how they incorporated Black Widow and Hawkeye.

The fact that Marvel accomodated the entire MCU for Wrights Ant Man just pisses me off more about him bailing after 8 years.

It just tells me Wright didn't want to play fair with Marvel Studios. Yeah, the fact that Marvel reworked plans for the MCU just for Wright sounds like the people at Marvel really wanted to make it work with the director, but it sounds like Wright felt it was his way or the highway.

Agreed.

However, Marvel deserves some scrutiny too. They were in love with the idea of Edgar Wright working with them to the point they were willing to do anything to make that happen (until recent events). Now it backfired on them and they still need to work with what they have.

Each side has a lesson to learn from this going forward. Wright shouldn't be working on major properties with a major studio if he can't handle it, while Marvel shouldn't put so much blind faith in a director.

 

[Tony Stark]

Toy Story has six screenwriters.
Whedon's career was in a tenuous position in 2010. It's in a strong position now, because of Marvel.



Marvel has grown as a studio in the past 8 years. When they started, their backs were against the wall, their only two options were risk-taking or bankruptcy, so they went with risk-taking. That gave us Iron Man and tried to give us Ant-Man.

Now, they're basically printing money. They have a magic formula, an assembly line through which their movies pass, and they're going to stick to it. If they take risks, it's on their own terms.

As for Marvel giving Wright 8 years -- that goes both ways. He can't start filming until they allow filming to begin. He was ready to start filming, but they homogenised the script.

Yeah....no.

First off you are completely exaggerating Whedon's career. No it's not what it is now, and that's all because of Avengers, and rightly so.

Whedon did a huge amount of script writing over the years, not just a co-writer on Toy Story, he guest directed several episodes of the office and Glee. He was writing comics for Marvel and DC and his own continuation of Buffy in comics.

He also won a creative emmy for Dr. Horrible's Singalong blog which was a huge cult hit during the writers strike of 2008.

Joss came into Avengers and he completely threw out the script, so yes he did get what he wanted.

As far as Edgar Wright, it was Edgar who caused the delays for 8 years and Marvel went along with him. In that time Marvel Studios became what it is, now, so he wasn't playing by the same set of rules he was in 2006 and he ought to have known that.

Bottom line Edgar is not directing the film, and it's time for everyone to get over that.