When films like X-Men or Avengers hits theaters, the lion’s share of attention usually goes to the actors and actresses that grace the silver screen and magazine covers. However, in many ways, it can be said that the unsung hero is the director.
Often times in film, picking the captain to helm the ship can result in either smooth sailing or a Titanic sized disaster. When speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, FOX’s Production President Emma Watts revealed how picking a director with just the right creative juices is paramount to success (pointing to director Josh Trank and their latest Fantastic Four reboot as an example). “We’re making a big bet for 2015 with The Fantastic Four and director Josh Trank. To me, the key is the originality of the filmmakers and the choices they make. Josh is another really interesting example, who is using the vision he gave us in Chronicle to reinvent a franchise he’s loved his whole life. It’s not that you can’t make original ideas — you can, and we did it with Chronicle. The director is the key to not letting superhero movies go stale. That’s the truth.” She says.
While the future of the F4 series is uncertain (with the originals starring Jessica Alba receiving a luke-warm reception at best) one franchise whose horizons look promising is the X-Men . After the huge success of ‘ Days of Future Past , some wonder if Director Brian Singer will return for the sequel ( X-Men: Apocalypse ). Watts expressed their eagers, replying that “Right now we are totally at the outlining phase. But nothing would make me happier than if it all worked out. It’s always been the intention for him to do it.”
We’ll bring you more on both of these upcoming films from FOX, as they become available.