• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

James Gunn on shared movie universes: “Studios are trying to grow trees without a strong seed”

November 23, 2014 by Gary Collinson

These days studios seem to be falling over themselves to replicate the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Fox, Sony and Warner Bros. all looking to develop their own “shared” superhero universes, and even Universal Pictures getting in on the act with its iconic Monsters. Taking to Facebook, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has shared some concerns over the business model, accusing studios of trying to “grow trees without a strong seed.” Here’s what he had to say:

“Listen, I love big ass shared universes in movies, as well as huge franchises. But I’m a little worried about the numerous shared universes being planned by the studios, without having a strong base film to grow from – or in some cases, NO base film to grow from. Star Wars had the original Star Wars, the Marvel Universe had the original Iron Man, the Dark Knight series had Batman Begins, even movies like Transformers and Twilight – these were movies audiences loved, and the audiences demanded more from these characters. But these days studios are trying to grow trees without a strong seed. Execs and producers and sometimes even directors are focused on the big picture, without perfecting the task directly in front of them – making a great movie. And studios are trying to grow franchises from non-existent films or middling successes. It’s like they aren’t taking audiences into account at all anymore. I know George Lucas, Kevin Feige, John Favreau, etc, had ideas where their films would potentially lead in the face of success. But I don’t think it ever got in the way of making that first movie count as if it was the last, of making it something wonderful that people would love whether it led to other films or not. In short, I think this new business model is flawed. I think filmmakers and studios should be prepared for the big picture, but never, ever let it get in the way of making a single great film. Be a little more experimental and see what works as opposed to trying to force success. And mostly, remember that we as an industry exist to serve the audiences, to communicate with them – they have a voice in what we create as well. We are not here to dictate what they want to see, mostly because that’s simply not possible.”

Do you agree with James Gunn and his concerns over Hollywood’s new fascination with shared movie universes? Let us know your thoughts…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpwsJTteaEY&feature=player_embedded&list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F

Filed Under: Gary Collinson, Movies, News Tagged With: James Gunn

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer, who is the founder of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature film 'The Baby in the Basket' and the upcoming suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Robin of Sherwood: Still the quintessential take on the Robin Hood legend

7 Great Life Affirming Robin Williams Movies

10 Great Recent Horror Movies You Need To See

Asian Shock Horror Movies You Have To See

The Most Iconic Cult Classics of All Time

The Essential 90s Action Movies

10 Great 1980s Sci-Fi Adventure Movies

Ten Great Comeback Performances

10 Creepy Horror Movies Jump Scares

Exploring George A. Romero’s Non-Zombie Movies

Top Stories:

6 Great Australian Crime Movies of the 1980s

7 Underrated World War II Romance Movies

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

Whatever Happened to the Horror Icon?

The Rise of Paul Thomas Anderson: A Living Legend

Movie Review – Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

Movie Review – Hot Milk (2025)

Movie Review – Heads of State (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

10 Badass Action Movies You Might Have Missed

10 Great Neo-Western Movies You Need To See

The Most Obscure & Shocking John Waters Movies

The Best Retro 2000 AD Video Games

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket