Have A-list directors become too married to their franchises?

[Bayhem]

"...Jackson, Cameron, and Bay are part of a very small, very elite group of directors who can get just about any movie green-lit, and yet they're devoting so much of their time to more of the same. Wouldn't we rather see what new creative endeavors they could come up with, while they still have the wherewithal and studio support to do it?"


- http://www.vulture.com/2012/07/peter...n-sequels.html


Interesting article and a good question. Speaking for myself, I'll be in the theater when "Transformers 4" hits...but I really think that after that movie Michael should move on with something different. Don't want to see him taking the Cameron road and work only on "Transformers" films. As a fan of his work, I hope to see more original projects from him. Big-budget, low budget, doesn't matter. As long as it's not "Transformers 10".


Your thoughts on the matter, S4TE? Is Michael "too married" to "Transformers"?

[greensmoke]

I wanna see Tranformers 4 too. but also, I wanna see fresh story, new character and theme. some kind of innovations.
we've already seen bunch of fighting robots THREE TIMES. but not enough?
well some people can think it's not enough. but not me.

[sora]

He always seems pretty positive about trying new things. I don't think he's the type of person who ends up being a forever-one-franchise-guy.

[Trailbreaker]

And not a single mention of George Lucas, but that's old news I guess.

I think James Cameron stands out among these three in that, by the sound of it, he was never pressured by his studio to make another. He seems glued to Avatar simply because he's glued to Avatar and it seems like it's the only thing he ever gives a damn about other than deep sea diving. (For the record, I will be seeing Avatar 2, 3, and the possible 4.)

As the article said, Jackson was reluctant to direct The Hobbit but ultimately became attached to it, and now we're getting a third one.

As for Bay, yes, call it what you want, two picture deal or whatever, but Paramount more or less pressured him to come back. I really don't know what his attitude towards directing TF4 is right now. But whether or not he's reluctant or enthusiastic about directing is ultimately going to show up in end product. The last thing I want is a TF4 that feels like it's bored of itself. (You know, kinda like POTC 4!)

In other words, all I care about is a happy Michael Bay happily directing his movie because he loves what he does.

[r-type]

Your thoughts on the matter, S4TE? Is Michael "too married" to "Transformers"?

A little bit. My Reason? Personally being ready for something different (which is now a reality with P&G, and hopefully other things), outweighs the need/want for another Bay TF. (heavy emphasis on the "personally")

Cameron route? I would disagree only because he 'says' he's married to Avatar for the foreseeable future, doesn't mean he's as guilty of it yet (with only 1 movie in the can). It's 2012 and we're talking about an output of two feature films since 1997.

Sidenote: Whenever I think of being "married" to a franchise, I always think of Lucas as a prototypical example.

[Hanna]

Don't want to see him taking the Cameron road and work only on "Transformers" films.

Hey B

Hate to correct you on this but Cameron is the follower here. Bay and Jackson are really the ones most recently that have directed back to back franchise movies to the point you can say "worked only on". But Bay is already, slowly, getting out of the transformers rut starting with Pain and Gain.

[Hanna]

Sidenote: Whenever I think of being "married" to a franchise, I always think of Lucas as a prototypical example.

Understatement.

...Ooh, you also forgot Lucas and Spielberg for the Indiana Jones franchise.

[dnn]

Bay once said of Transformers that while shooting them he feels like he's making "a stupid fucking robot movie". He was saying that tongue in cheek of course, but I think there was some truth in what he felt. If you watch the movies, you may notice that a large amount of screen time is spent on scenes not relating to Autobots and Decepticons, particularly in the last two. While I'm sure he appreciates the movies for their enormous success, I think it's fair to presume that he'd rather not make kid movies.

So I do hope he moves on after the fourth. Of all the "A list" directors he's the youngest after Christopher Nolan, and he'll be just shy of fifty by the time he rolls out the fourth Transformers. He could do pretty much whatever he wants after that. Scott, Zemeckis and Spielberg, did some of their best work in their fifties. And he's willing to change pace and take a chance making a small R-rated picture.

[Bayhem]

Hey B
Hate to correct you on this but Cameron is the follower here. Bay and Jackson are really the ones most recently that have directed back to back franchise movies to the point you can say "worked only on". But Bay is already, slowly, getting out of the transformers rut starting with Pain and Gain.

Hey, Hanna. Been a long time.

Of course, you are correct. But truth be told, Cameron was the first one to publicly say that from now on he intends to work only on the "Avatar" sequels. What I wanted to imply with my comment is that I don't want to see Bay making the same decision. Yes, it seems that he really wants "Transformers 4" to be his last TF movie, but let's keep in mind that last year he said many, many times that "Dark of the Moon" is his last "Transformers" movie.

After that though, he changed his mind. Question is, can we expect a change of mind after "Transformers 4"? I really hope that the answer is "no".

[Albershide]

Yes, it seems that he really wants "Transformers 4" to be his last TF movie, but let's keep in mind that last year he said many, many times that "Dark of the Moon" is his last "Transformers" movie.

After that though, he changed his mind. Question is, can we expect a change of mind after "Transformers 4"? I really hope that the answer is "no".

The only reason Michael is doing TF4 is because of P&G. I don't see what else the studio can offer to him so that he could change his mind. TF4 will be Michael's last film of the franchise but still I hope that he returns to another franchise and completes another trilogy - Bad Boys (while the cast still looks fine). Then I want something new.

[Bayhem]

The only reason Michael is doing TF4 is because of P&G. I don't see what else the studio can offer to him so that he could change his mind.

That can't be the only reason (despite the online reports). As the article pointed out, Michael is one of the very few A-list directors who can literally make anything they want. He could've easily funded "Pain and Gain" by himself and distribute it through Platinum Dunes or Bay Films. So clearly, the man has a soft spot for "Transformers" and that's why he decided to make a fourth one. I doubt he would wanna make a fourth movie if he doesn't have the passion. And no, I don't think it's about the money - for a man in his position, money is not exactly an issue.

Besides, it's gonna be a TF movie with a completely new main (human) characters so that is one very good reason for him to go back. It'll be something fresh while at the same time it's still part of the "Transformers" franchise we all know. Come to think of it, that might be the main reason for him to go back to "Transformers".

[dnn]

That can't be the only reason (despite the online reports). As the article pointed out, Michael is one of the very few A-list directors who can literally make anything they want. He could've easily funded "Pain and Gain" by himself and distribute it through Platinum Dunes or Bay Films. So clearly, the man has a soft spot for "Transformers" and that's why he decided to make a fourth one. I doubt he would wanna make a fourth movie if he doesn't have the passion. And no, I don't think it's about the money - for a man in his position, money is not exactly an issue.

Besides, it's gonna be a TF movie with a completely new main (human) characters so that is one very good reason for him to go back. It'll be something fresh while at the same time it's still part of the "Transformers" franchise we all know. Come to think of it, that might be the main reason for him to go back to "Transformers".

Of course the issue isn't how much money he personally makes. He clearly takes a lot of pride in his reputation for box office success. So the question is will he be OK with lowered expectations; that it would be a miracle for P&G to match the gross of The Island.

[Trailbreaker]

Understatement.

...Ooh, you also forgot Lucas and Spielberg for the Indiana Jones franchise.

Not Spielberg. Yes, we could see an Indy 5 in the future (which I'm game for as long as it's good) but he's making other movies as well (Tin Tin, War Horse, and the upcoming Lincoln movie). Lucas on the other hand, Hasn't directed a movie since Revenge of the Sith. The only other movies he directed not named "Star Wars" were THX 1138 and American Graffiti, in the 70's.

And now he's retired...well, kinda. He said he's focusing on small personal films now. It's just a matter of whether or not he's gonna sit in the director's chair.

[Crainy]

I really want to see Michael move on, because honestly, Im not sure if we need TF4. And im not sure if Michael will make TF4 so original that it justificies its existence. I want Michael to do something different, a Western maybe. Oh, and im looking forward to Pain and Gain.