The post credit scene -- once a hidden and rare occurrence has quickly become a staple of cinema and an expected attribute of universe building thanks mainly due to the Marvel Cinematice Universe which, since Nick Fury's appearence at the end of 2008's
Iron Man have become a signature for the franchise delivering teases as to what's to come in future films, setting or wrapping up ambiguous story points or just as a final joke stinger.
While most audiences have accepted this new attribute of cinema going, there's one person who is
really not a fan - the Academy Award Nominated writer of 2017's LOGAN - James Mangold. During a panel for the Writers Guild Association the
Walk The Line director didn't sugar coat his feelings about the practice:
“The idea of making a movie that would [frick]ing embarrass me, that’s part of the anesthetizing of this country or the world. That’s further confirming what they already know and tying in with other [frick]ing products and selling them the next movie while you’re making this movie, and kind of all that shit that I find really [frick]ing embarrassing. Like, that audiences are actually asking for scenes in end credits when those scenes were first developed for movies that suck, so they put something extra at the end to pick up the scores when the movie couldn’t end right on its own [frick]ing feet.”
That's not all Mangold had to say about them as conversation yet again returned to post-credit scenes later on in the panel with him stating:
"Now we’ve actually gotten audiences addicted to a [frick]ing bonus in the credits. It’s [frick]ing embarrassing. It means you couldn’t land your [frick]ing movie is what it means. Even if you got 100,000 Twitter addicts who are gambling on what [frick]ing scene is going to happen after the [frick]ing credits it’s still cheating. It’s just cheating, but there’s all sorts of bad habits like that that [frick]ing horrify me, man, that have become de rigueur in the way we make movies and I think the fear of being one of them that did that end then everyone’s patting me on the back and I feel like shit inside because I know I cheated, is probably the greatest thing that scares the shit out of me.”
While the 2013
The Wolverine helmed by Mangold did in fact have a post credits scene teasing the return of Charles Xavier in
X-Men: Days of Future Past I think it's pretty safe to say that if Mangold returns to the X-Men universe with that possible X23 project that you won't have to sit through the credits for anything other than showing your appreciation for those technicians that worked on the film.
What do you think? Is the concept of post-credit scenes cynical and flawed? Has the MCU become too much like homework for future releases and less about fulfilling single movie experiences? Leave your thoughts below.