Hollywood is all about supply and demand, giving mass audiences movies that they just can’t resist watching on the big screen and in turn printing reams of money for the studio that made it.
But often movies are announced that leave general audiences simply looking around and considering, “Who asked for this?”
Though not all films are made for all people – demographics are a thing, of course – it’s fair to say that some films feel like they were given the greenlight despite audiences having limited interest in seeing them.
And yet, history has proven time and time again that talented filmmakers working with great casts can take an idea few were initially enthused about and spin it into a critical and commercial smash hit.
To that end, while few were chomping at the bit to see these movies, each at least has enough talent in front of and behind the camera that there’s a fair chance they might actually triumph over audience apathy and deliver something truly worthwhile.
It’s sensible to be sceptical, but also worth being open to the prospect that these films just might be good, even great…
When Edgar Wright was confirmed to be making a new adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man, there was a pronounced sentiment of “why, though?” from Wright’s fans.
Given the popularity of the filmmaker’s original material, it almost feels like a waste to tether him to an existing franchise when he could continue building out his own unique stories and characters instead.
All the same, Wright was smart to confirm early on that his new take on The Running Man will be far more faithful to King’s source material than 1987’s Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring adaptation, much as we love it.
The real secret weapons here, though, are Wright’s co-writer Michael Bacall – who previously teamed with him on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and co-wrote both Jump Street reboot films – and the stupid-good cast, including Glen Powell, Katy O’Brian, Karl Glusman, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, and William H. Macy.
With all that in mind, it’s easier to appreciate that Wright has a real vision and an enormously talented team to help him realise that vision, rather than simply being rented out as a gun-for-hire to give Paramount some more IP fodder.
This post was originally published on here
