James Mangold told Rolling Stone that he's not a fan of “multi-film universe building,” so he likely has no interest in directing a part of the MCU. The director is no stranger to directing sequels to films like “The Wolverine,” “Logan,” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” though he insists that he's always treated his work on the franchise as a standalone installment.
“I don’t care about multiple universes,” Mangold said when the subject of Johnny Cash appearing in the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” came up. Mangold directed Joaquin Phoenix, who earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Cash in 2005’s “Walk the Line.” The Dylan biopic also stars Timothée Chalamet as the folk icon. Some had hoped Phoenix would appear as Cash in “A Complete Unknown,” though Mangold didn’t want any crossover between the music biopics and decided to cast “Indiana Jones 5” star Boyd Holbrook as Cash instead.
“It’s weird that I’ve worked in the online entertainment world because I don’t like building a multi-film universe,” Mangold added. “It’s the enemy of storytelling. It’s the death of storytelling. People are more interested in the way the Lego pieces fit together than the way the story plays out in front of us.”
“For me, the goal always becomes: What makes this movie and these characters special?” Mangold continued. “It’s not to make you think of another movie or an Easter egg or anything else, and it’s an intellectual work, not an emotional work. You want the movie to work on an emotional level.”
Mangold spoke to diverse Last year, ahead of the release of “Indiana Jones 5,” he said bluntly that he was “not interested” in making any spinoffs.
“I refuse to do that. I can’t do that,” the director said. “The amount of stories and Easter eggs and fan service starts to become inconsistent with any of that stuff at a certain point. It’s not just a narrative anymore. It’s just a broad advertisement.”
Mangold’s opposition to the multiverse doesn’t mean he’ll shy away from Hollywood. He’s currently working on a new Star Wars film, though it will essentially be a standalone project, a biblical epic set centuries before the main story of the franchise, tracing the origin of the Force.
Visit Rolling Stone to read the full recent interview with Mangold.
