The Juiceless Fall Movie Season, ‘The Running Man,’ and ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’

Key Takeaways

The fall 2024 movie slate experienced commercial and critical disappointment, sparking industry re-evaluation.
Edgar Wright's 'The Running Man' adaptation received mixed reviews for its tone, but featured impressive action sequences.
'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' garnered mixed reactions, with Rosamund Pike praised as a new villain.
Director Edgar Wright detailed his approach to adapting Stephen King, crafting action scenes, and casting Glen Powell.
Discussions covered the evolving film industry, including the decline of movie star power and middle-class film challenges.

The fall movie slate for 2024 has disappointed both commercially and critically, prompting industry re-evaluation.
While established franchises like 'Predator' and 'Conjuring' performed adequately, original films with less established stars struggled.
Movie stars no longer guarantee box office success for theatrical releases, challenging previous industry norms.
The current media landscape, including podcasts, intensifies discussions around film successes and failures.

The hosts discussed potential box office disappointments and the anticipated performance of upcoming films.
'Marty Supreme' is identified as a critical test for movie star appeal, independent of existing intellectual property.
Expectations are high for films like 'Wicked,' 'Zootopia 2,' and 'Avatar,' contrasting with the fall's muted reception.

Edgar Wright's 'The Running Man,' starring Glen Powell, is based on a Stephen King novel about a deadly competition show.
Hosts described the film as 'rickety, implausible, and tonally inconsistent' but acknowledged impressive action sequences.
Critiques noted the movie struggles to balance hyper-violence with darker themes and lacks character development or thematic depth.
Dated satirical elements, such as jokes about the Kardashians and Shake Shack, were highlighted as ineffective.

Actor Glen Powell is attempting to establish himself as an 'old-school movie star' through his role in 'The Running Man.'
Hosts noted Powell's natural charisma often contrasts with his character's angry, proletariat persona.
While acknowledging Powell's physicality in action, some felt he was miscast and his character poorly written.
Discussions contrasted Powell's performance with action stardom archetypes like Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson.

Coleman Domingo delivered a strong performance as the villain in 'The Running Man.'
His portrayal was noted for living up to the original performance in the source material.
The discussion briefly touched on the film's faithfulness to the Stephen King novel.

The third installment, 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't,' features the return of original Four Horsemen and new cast members.
Rosamund Pike stars as a South African diamond heiress and villain, with her performance receiving praise.
The film's plot involves the Four Horsemen recruiting new illusionists for a heist targeting a diamond.
Overall, the hosts had mixed feelings, finding the film 'only okay' but better than the second installment.

Hosts discussed the appeal of magic as a performance art, appreciating the wonder without trying to solve the tricks.
They related this to the 'how did they do that?' aspect of appreciating movie-making.
However, 'movie magic' effects can sometimes detract from the sense of real-life wonder compared to practical illusions.
A specific set piece in 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' was described as a 'getting the gang together montage' with comic book movie qualities.

Edgar Wright was asked about his directorial identity, specifically whether he sees himself as an English or Hollywood studio director.
Wright responded that most directors, unlike Christopher Nolan, cannot fully curate their filmographies.
He suggested directors focus on making the next feasible film rather than adhering to a predetermined path.
The discussion also touched on the global shift of studio filmmaking away from Los Angeles due to factors like tax incentives.

Edgar Wright clarified his film is a new adaptation of the 1972 Stephen King novel, not a remake of the 1987 film.
Wright highlighted the book's satirical and prescient elements, which were initially considered too dystopian.
The new adaptation aims to maintain a single protagonist perspective to increase intensity and immersion.
The film expands on the novel's 'playground' with 165 locations, contrasting the more contained 1987 film.

Wright emphasized the unusual speed of 'The Running Man's' production, filming in March and editing in April.
He attributed the rapid turnaround for a large-scale project to regular collaborators and thorough pre-production.
Wright noted the prevalence of weak VFX in contemporary cinema due to last-minute changes.
His approach involves extensive pre-visualization and a dedicated VFX supervisor to maintain quality within tight deadlines.

Wright detailed the choreography for 'The Running Man's' Boston sequence, involving a car and the YVA hotel.
Extensive planning used multiple sets and locations across London, Glasgow, and Bulgaria.
Stunts were designed around actor Glen Powell's capabilities.
Wright employs a 'Hong Kong method' for action, shooting piece-by-piece with on-set editing to ensure continuity.

Edgar Wright discussed casting Glen Powell as Ben Richards, noting Powell was on the studio's approved list.
Wright was impressed by Powell's performance in 'Hitman' and his proactive interest in 'The Running Man.'
Powell's lack of prior superhero or trained killer roles made him ideal for an 'everyman off the street' character.
Wright drew parallels to Bruce Willis in 'Die Hard' and Matt Damon in 'The Bourne Identity' for similar casting rationale.