The MCU has been lucky enough to have a few iconic directors under its employ in the past: Kenneth freaking Branagh directed Thor, Joss Whedon of course wrote and directed both Avengers films to date, and Shane Black helmed Iron Man 3. The problem, however, is that the MCU is so interested in creating a homogeneous end product that there's little point hiring these talented filmmakers for what is essentially grunt work. No offense to Whedon, for though he did arguably manage to make a stamp with the original Avengers in particular, it seems like the Russo Brothers are going to take his lead ably enough for the Infinity War films. And then there's Edgar Wright's infamous departure from Ant-Man, which was reportedly due to Marvel's insistence to introduce more MCU links than he was comfortable with. If the filmmakers are by and large working from a fairly rigid schematic, is there much point hiring expensive auteurs when reliable guns for hire will do just fine? It's not like any of these movies are sold on the guys sat in the director's chair. That's not to diminish the fine work done by, say, James Gunn and the Russos, but this is how they made their names, and one suspects they were easier bent to Marvel's will than the aforementioned star filmmakers. Hence it follows that Marvel have hired the malleable likes of Scott Derrickson, Jon Watts, Taika Waititi and Ryan Coogler for Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther respectively. None of these filmmakers have the clout to stand up to Marvel, nor have the impressive filmographies of someone like Edgar Wright to make bailing an option.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
