English writer/director/novelist Alex Garland got his start on screen penning scripts for several acclaimed films including “28 Days Later,” “Sunshine,” “Never Let Me Go” and “Dredd”.
From there he made the jump to directing from his own scripts with the TV show “Devs” and four films so far on that count – “Ex Machina,” “Annihilation,” “Men” and next month’s “Civil War”.
Out promoting the latter in a new feature piece with The Guardian, Garland makes a shock announcement – he’s done with directing as the piece confirms Garland does not plan to direct again.
The writer indicates they read an earlier interview conducted during the film’s shoot in which Garland declared his intent to “give up directing and retreat to only writing”.
So they asked him if that interview just caught him on a bad day or is he going through with that? Garland responds: “Nothing’s changed. I’m in a very similar state. I’m not planning to direct again in the foreseeable future.”
That restriction obviously doesn’t include “Warfare,” the film that his military advisor on “Civil War” Ray Mendoza is co-directing with Garland. That project cast “Reservation Dogs” actor D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai in the lead role earlier this week.
“Civil War” was made on a $50 million budget, making it the most expensive film ever made by indie production house A24, but it is also on track for the studio’s biggest opening with early projections of a domestic opening weekend of at least $21 million.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
