James Gunn and the New Generation of Filmmakers
The current blockbuster formula is based on brands and franchises, a strategy that Hollywood has always used. However, the Internet and universal interconnection have taught us that no successful work is without being synchronized with its time, that is, the mass audience. For that to happen, filmmakers must also share a similar worldview.
Through social networks, the dialogue between creator, work, and public has never been closer. The appearance of a post-cinephile can be observed, and James Gunn, the creator of Guardians of the Galaxy, is perhaps the only true auteur in the world of Superheroes.
A Generation of Filmmakers
Filmmakers like Scott Derrickson, Lee Cronin, the Russo brothers, James Wan, Justin Lin, Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpen, Zach Cregger, Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller are all part of the new generation of filmmakers who take the genre as a canon. They consider Super Mario, Dr. Strange, Lego blocks, and the postmodern madness of Sam Raimi as classic, consolidated objects with meaning beyond what each film shows or says by itself.
They are filmmakers who were educated in the blockbuster, with the rise of video games, and the possibility that any image was possible thanks to digital developments. They do not take the genre as a school of forms and effectiveness but as a canon that allows them to express their ideas in a fun, entertaining, and exciting way.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy
The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy works as a paradigm of this new generation’s approach to filmmaking. It can be seen as a reinterpretation of the original Star Wars, but above all, it is a testament to why Star Wars was relevant to James Gunn and his ilk. The films are summary films that do not lack a personal look. The filmmakers treat characters critically in the sense of explaining their cultural weight and at the same time, communicate to the viewer why they loved them from the beginning.
It is a way of making films and communicating ideas at a time when the theater business is in a crisis. For years, the big studios have relied on well-established brands to move the world. But this new generation of filmmakers is taking apart the original to communicate its meaning, implying a personal and critical exercise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, James Gunn and the new generation of filmmakers are taking the genre to new heights by mixing genres and tones to create fun, exciting, and entertaining films. They are not taking the genre as a school of forms and effectiveness but as a canon that allows them to express their ideas. It is a twisted way of cinephilia, of “authorism” even, and it is there, providing the audience not just with laughter or scares but a glimpse into the director behind such effects.
