Greta Gerwig has for the first time addressed her plans to write and direct multiple films based on The Chronicles of Narnia books from C.S. Lewis, admitting that the prospect is fairly unnerving. …
Greta Gerwig has for the first time addressed her plans to write and direct multiple films based on The Chronicles of Narnia books from C.S. Lewis, admitting that the prospect is fairly unnerving. …
Anyone else find it odd, that a director that makes wonderful, original films, tends to work on remaking properties that we’ve seen a hundred times before once they ‘make it’?
I get it it, but there is a decent BBC version of the Narnia stories and then there was a decent version in the 2000s and…
What next, another Robin Hood, another go at Pinnichio, this year’s retelling of Romeo and Juliet?
It’s the studios. They recycle properties, use big name stars, and then attach a known successful director because they think it’s more likely to be a “sure fire hit”. It frequently doesn’t work out that way, but I’m sure they have some computer formula that measures the odds for them.
Taking creative chances on unknowns is for indie studios.
Nail on the head my friend
I have read that sometimes the Star or director will negotiate a deal where they agree to do the derivative blockbuster/sequel/whatever in exchange for the studio backing their pet project. So in this case maybe Gerwig gets paid the big bucks to do a studio designed movie in exchange for studio backing for a more creative movie she really wants to do afterward.
Yeah, I think it was Scorsese who said that he did “one for them, and one for me”.
I feel like that’s a common trend in modern media, a lot of remakes and alternate versions of the same story. Like they are bringing back Harry Potter as a series, and they are doing a peter pan and Wendy thing as well. Seems like there aren’t a ton of original things that are getting these big budgets. Not saying there aren’t original things coming out, they don’t seem to be what the Hollywood “default” is at the moment
It’s because the big studios don’t want to take a risk on something new and original, they almost always want to go for the “safe” bet and pick a sequel, spinoff or remake of an established IP that they know will make money. All they care about is profit. Making flims as an art form is is a struggle for passionate directors. Take Guillermo del Toro for example, he said recently (and I’m paraphrasing) that he still gets a lot of push back from studios when he’s trying to get his projects of the ground. That’s because he’s an artist and art is a risk.