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Logan director warns toxic fans may scare off directors

Photo credit: John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images
Photo credit: John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images

From Digital Spy

Logan director James Mangold, the writer/director who's also attached to the Boba Fett film, has published a collection of critical tweets hitting out at the behaviour of some fans of major movie franchises.

In recent years, fans of big film franchises – like Star Wars or Marvel and DC, for example – have been quick to hit out at movies and their directors if they don't fit their hopes of what the film should be. (Just look at the reaction to Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi.)

But now Mangold has warned that if fans continue to react so negatively and so strongly, good directors will be unwilling to take on the responsibility of making the movie in the first place.

"At the point when work writing & directing big franchises has become the emotionally loaded equivalent of writing a new chapter of The Bible (w/ the probable danger of being stoned & called a blasphemer), then a lot of bolder minds r gonna leave these films 2 hacks & corp boards," Mangold wrote.

The director also defended The Last Jedi director Johnson and Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie in a follow-up tweet after someone insisted these films have "already" been left to hacks and boards.

"If you feel that is the case, if u feel the film makers are just corporate tools and powerless, then why bitch at us?" he added. "In the case of @rianjohnson and @chrismcquarrie, i assure you these cats are not 'owned'. They actually fight your battles behind the scenes."

Mangold continued to say that if you want to be in a position to influence filmmakers, you need to "earn it", saying that "rude tweets & self anointed superfan expertise don't cut it", and also compared the current state of fandom to religious fanaticism.

"The fervor of some attacks has an evangelical ferocity," he replied to one person. "Now, I get it cause for many folk, including me, the SW saga holds tremendous spiritual power, similar to a religious text.

"But we must remember to try to handle our disappointments the way Yoda might, as opposed to Darth."

Following The Last Jedi's less-than-electric reception, the film's director was questioned on whether he takes much notice of the backlash his sequel received.

"No, not really. I mean, I feel like every Star Wars thing that ever gets made has a big, loud response because Star Wars fans are passionate and that's what makes them awesome," Johnson noted.

Photo credit: ABC
Photo credit: ABC

"I don't think it's possible when, if you're really telling a story you care about and having it come from your heart, it's just not possible to be intellectually processing what everyone else wants and nor would it be a good thing, a healthy thing.

"I don't think that's a good way to tell a story."


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