Filmmakers of Michael Mann's (Ali, Collateral, Ferrari) stature are usually very critical of the superhero film genre.
In the past, Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver) has said that MCU films aren't cinema and Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven) called superhero films boring. Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather) said Marvel movies are despicable, while Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman, The Revenant) said that many of them are right-wing propaganda.
Four-time Oscar winner Michael Mann doesn't go nearly as far as some of his contemporaries, but he did recently reveal that he doesn't have any desire to make a comic book movie.
Speaking on The Playlist's Discourse podcast, Mann stated, "I only make films that I feel passionate about and that placed me a little bit more on the frontier. That's where I do my best work. I'd like to be a journeyman director, go from film to film to film, but I don't think I'd be very good at it. It doesn't get my blood running."
However, it does seem that Mann likes to watch them and he's a big fan of the first two Guardians of the Galaxy films.
" On the other hand, I think that Guardians of the Galaxy, for example, not necessarily this last one, but the two before, have really worked and I love watching them. And the reason they work is because they have a really, really well done story structure behind them. So it's exciting in the sense of being able to expand into myth that way and to create myth. I think that's a very exciting medium."
Mann finished up his thoughts by revealing that while a superhero film isn't appearing on his to-do list anytime soon, he does want to explore the genre of science fiction at some point. "Let's just say [it's] something I [don't] wanna do. I do wanna do a science fiction project, but it's not superheroes."
A Michael Mann sci-fi film definitely sounds intriguing.
Mann's directing style is a fascinating blend of realism, atmosphere, and technical excellence, frequently dealing with morally sensitive issues that often expand well beyond genre restrictions. Mann is also known for protagonists who are frequently flawed individuals who suddenly find themselves in morally ambiguous situations.
His films are visually arresting, conceptually fascinating, and technically impeccable, providing audiences with an enthralling peek into the complexity of the human condition, often set in the worlds of crime, law enforcement, and the pursuit of ambition.
Do you agree with his implied statement that the first two Guardian films are better than the third installment? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.