Dennis Villenueve's Blade Runner 2049 is a critical success (despite the disappointing box office results), and a lot of praise is going to its visuals, sound, and story. As it turns out, one of the most highly regarded movies of 2017 got inspiration from an unlikely source—the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, screenwriter Michael Green explains:
"So many studios and property rights holders have seen the success of Marvel, which we all adore and wonder how to replicate it. For me, the lesson of Marvel is: you don't begin by building a universe. You begin by telling a story worth telling. And if it is a great story directed well and performed brilliantly and stays with people, it will become the black hole around which a galaxy can form."
Green is definitely right when it comes to world-building in modern superhero movies. Iron Man was pretty good because it tried to tell its story first instead of building up to the Avengers. Movies like Age of Ultron, Batman v Superman, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 were considered critical failures since they spent too much time trying to sell the next movie that was coming.
Green continues:
"If you begin by trying to build the universe before creating a film worth watching, well, there be dragons. At no point in the creation of this story or script did anyone talk about spin-offs or how might things continue. It was always: what's our story and make sure you have a story that is worth the title."
Personally, I think the best sequels are the ones that are self-contained. And though I do love to see nods to upcoming films, I'd much prefer it if the movie wouldn't spend so much effort on the set-up and instead focus on delivering a good story.
Blade Runner 2049 is currently out in theaters.
See Also: Could Blade Runner 2049 Join The Oscar Race Despite Being A Commercial Flop?
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