The best comic book movies, at least for this writer, are the ones that are made by a director with a singular voice and a unique vision. A director with a particular sense of style who’s known for making films with a distinct tone taking on a geeky, fantasy property. Which is why I love Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy so much. Which is also why movies like James Mangold’s Logan, Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther and Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok stand out from the pack. And who doesn’t like to fantasy book directors with these properties? I often imagine a detective Batman movie helmed by David Fincher. Wouldn’t that be something?
The same happened over the past few days when Marvel Studios announced that a Blade Reboot starring Mahershala Ali is currently in the works. Many fans wondered what the film would be like if someone like Jordan Peele stood behind the camera. After all, Peele is a great storyteller particularly when it comes to horror films with African-American sociopolitical undertones. Well, unfortunately for fans, Peele has already taken his name out of the hat. In an interview with Rolling Stone last year, Jordan Peele mentioned that it wouldn’t be right for him to direct a comic book movie as he’s simply not a huge fan and has his heart someplace else.
“So many of those properties — it’s a childhood dream to be able to essentially see what you saw in your imagination as a child, watching or reading or whatever you were doing with that stuff. It’s a filmmaker’s dream. But you know, I feel like I only have so much time. I have a lot of stories to tell, and it just doesn’t feel right. It just doesn’t feel right. I’m a comic book and graphic novel appreciator, but I can’t call myself a true fan boy.”
The Rolling Stone article also mentioned that Peele has been offered major franchises in the past but turned them all down despite feeling “total temptation.” Honestly, more power to you Mr Peele. While it would bring me nothing but absolute joy to see Jordan Peele direct a bid budget comic book movie, it’s more important that he tells stories that he has a strong passion for. Blade will chug along with or without Jordan Peele, but if Peele chooses to dedicate years of his life to a big blockbuster bonanza, it would also mean he won’t have time to make films like Get Out and Us, which would be a damn shame.
