Chris Evans recently talked to SHH on the set of
The Losers. He talked about his current films
The Losers and
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, but what I found interesting was when the topic turned to sequels and multi picture deals.
Once he began discussing this, he seemed to answer all of the questions we as fans, have been asking over the last two weeks. Why is he taking so long to accept a role like Captain America? What could be the problem? Well, he seems to answer these questions even though at the time of this interview, they all remained unasked.
This from SHH...
Q: Is it in your contract that you'll only do comic book movies right now?
Evans: (Laughs) I know, right? Isn't it ridiculous? It really is ridiculous. I know. There's been a string of them. It seems like that's what everyone's making, you know? There's a surplus of them around Hollywood. They make great movies,
Q: With a film like this which could lead to other sequels, is it for you as an actor are you a little nervous when you sign onto something that might be a multi-picture kind of thing?
Evans: Well, that's the problem. You think they'd only make it if it's good. The problem is they only make it if it makes money and that's good and making money are not synonymous. That's why you avoid those multi-picture contracts. Sometimes you have to do it, you known, movies like "Fantastic Four," those massive movies. They say, look if you don't want to sign a multi-picture contract we'll find somebody else. Movies like this you can negotiate. I think most actors would avoid trying to do multi-picture contracts just because you never want to have your arm twisted in any way. Even if it's a fantastic movie, even if you can't wait to make the sequel it's just always better in any respect, in any aspect of life to not be forced to have to do something.
Q: How does it work, exactly, when you sign on for a multi-picture deal?
Evans: Yeah, like it'll be a studio deal so, you know if you had a 3-picture deal for "Fantastic Four" for example, let's say they didn't want to make another "Fantastic Four," Fox could say well, we got you for another movie. We can put you in any movie we want to put you in. And it's more about locking you in at a price for each picture they say we'll pay you this for number 1, this for number 2, this for number 3. So "Fantastic Four," let's say they didn't want to make a sequel, but for some reason one of the actors became quite famous off of it, Fox now has the advantage to take that actor and put them in another movie at a set price. That actor can't say well now that I'm enormously famous I want $10 million. You could say well, we got you in a 3-picture deal and we got you locked in at this much cheaper price and you've got to do it. So it doesn't always have to be. But I don't have a 3-picture deal so it doesn't even matter. If I did, though and "Losers" went away, they could put me in another movie at a set price.
Q: Is that risky for you as an actor?
Evans: To get locked into a 3-picture deal? Well, you know like I said you lose control and the problem is let's say you have a terrible experience on a film. Let's say you don't want to revisit the character. Let's say you don't like the new director they hired. Let's say - there's a million elements that could come into play where you're just out of the driver's seat. It's not a bad thing. You're working. The fact is, especially nowadays as an actor, you're lucky to even be working. I know so many amazing actors who aren't working because there's not a lot of work. So, I guess it's not the worst problem to have to be forced to go to work, but if you want to try and maintain creative integrity it's just you lose that control.
Q: It might be a little early, but are you already thinking about a next project? Is it affecting you at all because Hollywood has slowed down? There's a lot fewer movies being made.
Evans: Yeah, there are. You know, you never want to - I think you're only allowed so many mistakes and perception goes a long way in this town. It funny, you could - I don't know if Hollywood always does their homework. I think the public does their homework and I think within Hollywood, if you've booked a classy role, I think it's rare that people actually go out and see those movies. They just hear the name. They hear the director and they've got to get that guy. You could be brilliant in "Final Destination 7" but you're in "Final Destination 7." No thank you. You could be f*cking amazing, but it doesn't matter. Or you could stink up the joint in a Woody Allen film and you're going to have work. So, unfortunately, I've had a few movies that have just not been successful and perception, like I said, is a current seed that you need, so I'm just watching my step right now. I'm in no hurry. I think when I first started making - when the ball started rolling and I actually was in a world where I could make movies continuously, I think you're just in a hurry to make movies. You're just excited that it's even happening. You just want to make movies, but then you make a few bad ones and you see how they can go awry and how man, this is just a giant collaboration and it's not easy to make a good movie. There's a lot of creative people coming together dealing in a world of intangibles and semantics and it's not easy. So now I just want to make good movies and there's a lot of pieces of the puzzle that have to fit together in order for that to happen. So I'm in no rush and I'm just trying to find the next right one.
Q: To follow up on what you were saying, are there choices that you've made that you maybe in hindsight wish you hadn't?
Evans: I'm not going to - I've probably already said too much. I would never want to bash any specific movie that I've done. Yeah, of course. It's always a learning process. Every movie you make you learn a little bit more about how you need to approach each set. How you need to approach your meetings, you know, when you sit down with someone to talk about a project, what questions need to be asked? And, you know, the importance of the different people on-set. For example, I used to think what does a producer really do? But now you realize that, well, the producer does a f*ckload. So, you know, it's all a learning process and I'm still learning. By no means am I some salty vet. I'm still figuring this sh*t out as I go.
To read this entire interview follow the link below.