Director Turned Down Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’ to Make Acclaimed Horror Film ‘The Substance’

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As a cinephile, I took a daring leap of faith in myself when I turned down an enticing offer from a renowned MCU director to focus on my heart’s passion project, The Substance. This bold move paid off as it led me to a nomination for the prestigious Academy Award.

The Substance, a gripping underdog tale of the awards season, initially faced financial hurdles when its original backer, Universal Pictures, abandoned the project. Fortunately, it was rescued by a smaller distributor, Mubi. On paper, the body horror film, starring Demi Moore, seemed like an uphill battle, but it defied all odds to gross a staggering $76 million worldwide.

The Substance, a high-octane gore spectacle, not only surpassed expectations but also managed to secure a Best Picture nomination at the 97th Academy Awards. This remarkable feat earned me nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay as well.

If Fargeat had taken Marvel Studio’s offer into account, things could have taken a significantly different turn. As reported by Variety, Fargeat was actually in discussion to direct the Black Widow movie. However, at that time, Fargeat was financially strapped and valued maintaining creative control above all else. Instead, she chose to pour her efforts into her passion project, The Substance. It’s worth noting that Fargeat had issues with the original financial backer of The Substance due to her insistence on rejecting studio suggestions and not engaging in discussions about them regarding her film. Given Marvel Studio’s reputation for having a firm hand in their projects, Fargeat opted out of the MCU film and instead focused on developing The Substance.

As a fervent film enthusiast, I can certainly see why Marvel Studios might have taken notice of the talent that is Léonor Serraille, or Fargeat as she’s more commonly known. Although her unique style may not immediately suggest a fit for a blockbuster production, it becomes clearer when you consider the high-stakes nature of the upcoming “Black Widow” film. With Scarlett Johansson playing a pivotal role both in front of and behind the camera as star and producer, it was crucial to secure a visionary director who could do justice to this highly anticipated prequel.

The list of contenders included Amma Asante (“Where Hands Touch”), Deniz Gamze Ergüven (“Kings”), Maggie Betts (“Novitiate”), Lynn Shelton (“Humpday”), and Chloé Zhao, who was in talks but ultimately chose to focus on “Eternals” instead. In the end, it was Cate Shortland (“Berlin Syndrome”) who was selected to helm the “Black Widow” project.

Coralie Fargeat’s Decision Paid off in the Long Run

In the context of Coralie Fargeat, she could potentially have been offered the movie Black Widow in 2018, following the release of her first feature-length directorial work, Revenge. The strategy of recruiting directors from modest filmmaking backgrounds for big-budget productions has been around for a while, but Marvel Studios has significantly popularized this approach by assigning significant franchises to less established directors with limited blockbuster experience. For instance, Jon Watts transitioned from Cop Car, a movie made on a $5 million budget, to Spider-Man: Homecoming, which cost $175 million. Prior to directing the Eternals, with a $236 million budget, Chloé Zhao had previously directed The Rider, which was made on an $80,000 budget, and later, Nomadland, which cost $5 million. This practice seems beneficial for bringing in innovative directors with fresh perspectives, but it also raises concerns about Marvel Studios hiring filmmakers who may not have the power to resist studio suggestions and maintain full control over their films.

It’s worth noting that Fargeat isn’t the only director who chose not to consider working on Black Widow due to potential creative disagreements with Marvel Studios. For instance, Lucrecia Martel, known for her films The Headless Woman and La Ciénaga, declined the offer when Marvel proposed they would handle the action sequences while she focused on character-driven scenes. Given Fargeat’s strong commitment to her creative vision, it’s likely she would have encountered conflicts with Marvel had she taken the job. Initially, this decision might have seemed risky, but in retrospect, it proved beneficial as Fargeat’s personal project has become one of the most discussed movies of 2024 and has earned her an Academy Award nomination. Instead of the financial rewards that Black Widow might have offered, she can now write a blank check with The Substance’s box office earnings.

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2025-01-29 23:01