10 Directors Who Could Save Dying Movies Franchises
Long-standing franchises in need of a fresh vision.
The process of making a franchise in the movie business is a tricky prospect. Making it endure and succeed is even trickier. Endless amounts of variables to consider on both the business and creative spectrum that will determine how long the success continues. Even if you excel on one side of the spectrum, any strong negative response from audiences or a lack of showing at the box office could very well spell doom for any major film.
It's never always clear where exactly these creative endeavors go wrong, but once it's deemed a failure, you won't be getting a second chance. The studio will most likely just put the series on ice for a couple of years, then look to reboot it with a completely new crew. It's rarely every fair, but it is business. Many franchises all across Hollywood start and stop almost instantaneously, while others were once successful, but ended up being forgotten amongst other blockbusters.
While some of these franchises have had a rough go of it in recent years (or have simply never caught on with audiences), a bold new leader to take them on could be all they need to thrive. A young up-and-comer who will have fresh ideas for an older brand or a veteran filmmaker who can give a developing brand some prestige. Whatever the situation, these are 10 franchises in need of defibrillation, and here are the filmmakers who can give them that spark.
10. Neil Blomkamp - Hellboy
While District 9 and all of its excellence seems like a lifetime ago, there's no denying Neil Blomkamp's capable of far more than what his recent offerings may make others assume. That's why his (inevitably-canceled) Alien continuation was promising, albeit still questionable. The idea of Blomkamp taking on a pre-existing property is promising, but maybe something a little less high-profile.
This is where something like Hellboy fits in perfectly for Blomkamp. The most recent Hellboy strayed far from Guillermo Del Toro's original film's charm and quality, leading to something artificial-feeling. With each of Blomkamp's films, they've all had a feeling of passion and creative drive behind them. This latest iteration of Hellboy lacked a soul, and Blomkamp could be the one to provide one.
Hellboy even has a lot of similarities to District 9. Both dealt with themes of racism and humans coexisting with other, far more different beings, all while simultaneously taking place in an engaging world that is deep for the sake of the story, rather than for the sake of possible sequels. It may not be a prestige franchise like Alien, but give Blomkamp the reins to a feigning franchise that's suitably open to experimentation, and Hellboy may just rise from the depths of development hell.