Thanks to the release of In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh is regarded as one the best filmmakers in Hollywood.
So it would make sense then if the English/Irish filmmaker had been approached by studios to make bigger budgeted blockbusters, or maybe even a superhero film for Marvel or DC. It turns out, though, that McDonagh doesn’t have any interest in overseeing such a film, and he has even made sure that an offer can’t reach him.
“No, no, no,” responded McDonagh when I recently asked whether he had ever been approached by a bigger studio for a project. “But I’ve got this wall down that I won’t even listen to those things anyway. So if there was an offer it wouldn’t get to me.”
Then, just to make sure that his message was being heard loud and clear, McDonagh emphatically added, “But we can put it out there, I don’t want any offers. Marvel or DC or anything. Never, never.”
McDonagh is clearly very comfortable with his current position, which is understandable as “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” has matched the critical acclaim of both “In Bruges” and “Seven Psychopaths” and has even been touted as an Oscar contender.
“With the first one, you’re a first time filmmaker, so you’re always surprised that someone gives you money to do something,” McDonagh explained when I asked if he has ever been surprised to have been given such a free reign to make his films. “But once that was made and I was completely happy with it, I guess because we keep the budgets low the typical interference hasn’t come on the second and third ones. So I am happy to be in that place. I don’t want a bigger budget because I won’t do it with any interference.”
“But it seems like, especially with this, there are people that are OK with that. And I suppose I am surprised that is the case. Because reading the history of movies it doesn’t seem to happen too much that you get final cut and that people leave you alone. So I am happy about the place I am in. Not so much surprised anymore because they are good films. If they stop wanting to make ‘em I’ll stop making ‘em.”
Considering the response to “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,“ that’s not going to happen for a long, long time, though.
