‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Director Warns Hollywood Execs about ‘Deadpool’ Success

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has predicted Hollywood executives will misinterpret Deadpool‘s massive success by carbon copying the raunchy superhero film’s formula and create mediocre copycat movies.

Gunn led the 2014 comic book adaptation of Guardians of the Galaxy into blockbuster territory when it garnered critical and fan acclaim, grossing over $773 million in the global box office. And following the release of Ryan Reynolds’ irreverent Deadpool over the weekend, the moviemaker fears film bosses are so stunned by the film’s massive $135 million haul in America, they’ll be attempting their own versions of the blockbuster.

Now Gunn, who is preparing to film the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, warns fans that studio bosses could easily copy Deadpool‘s R-rated movie but many similar films will lack the passion.

In a lengthy missive shared on Facebook on Monday, Gunn writes: “After every movie smashes records people here in Hollywood love to throw out the definitive reasons why the movie was a hit. I saw it happen with Guardians.

“It ‘wasn’t afraid to be fun’ or it ‘was colorful and funny’ etc etc etc. And next thing I know I hear of a hundred film projects being set up ‘like Guardians’, and I start seeing dozens of trailers exactly like the Guardians trailer with a big pop song and a bunch of quips. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.”

Gunn goes on to praise the homicidal mercenary movie, adding, “Deadpool was its own thing. THAT’S what people are reacting to. It’s original, it’s damn good, it was made with love by the filmmakers, and it wasn’t afraid to take risks.

“For the theatrical experience to survive, spectacle films need to expand their definition of what they can be. They need to be unique and true voices of the filmmakers behind them. They can’t just be copying what came before them.

“So, over the next few months, if you pay attention to the trades, you’ll see Hollywood misunderstanding the lesson they should be learning with Deadpool. They’ll be green lighting films ‘like Deadpool’ – but, by that, they won’t mean ‘good and original’ but ‘a raunchy superhero film’ or ‘it breaks the fourth wall.’ They’ll treat you like you’re stupid, which is the one thing Deadpool didn’t do.”

Despite all this, Gunn is optimistic that some Hollywood top guns will prove him wrong, writing, “But hopefully in the midst of all this there will be a studio or two that will take the right lesson from this – like Fox did with Guardians by green-lighting Deadpool – and say, ‘Boy, maybe we can give them something they don’t already have’. And that’s who is going to succeed.”

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