J.J. Abrams knows a thing or two (or three) about fanboy criticism. He’s been dealing with nearly his entire career. “Super 8” was a shameless Steven Spielberg ripoff! “Star Trek” didn’t capture the spirit of the show! “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was much too much like the original “Star Wars”! “The Cloverfield Paradox” was a half-baked disaster! The screenwriter and filmmaker has heard it all, but he sleeps at night because he knows you simply can’t please everybody.
The filmmaker has penned a piece for Shortlist explaining how “it’s not possible to take risks and please everyone.” Abrams believes the best stories on the big screen are the ones that take audiences to unexpected places, though he realizes it’s a double edged sword, because sometimes the most passionate fans don’t always like surprises. Here’s an excerpt:
Anything that’s genuinely good doesn’t play by the numbers. Some of the great stories that are being told, especially on TV, are incredibly risky and unusual and wildly successful because of that.
Even in things like the Marvel universe, which is so profoundly successful, they’re taking chances within that world and doing things that certainly wouldn’t fall into the category of playing it obvious and playing it safe. It’s a testament to the fact that people are hungry for things which aren’t just the same old.
As a filmmaker, if you don’t feel excited and inspired, then you shouldn’t be working on those stories. You should be able to picture yourself in the audience, laughing and cheering and crying with the crowd.
The whole thing is worth a read, and a reminder to diehard fanboys, that if they got things exactly how they wanted them, they probably wouldn’t like that either. The best movies are the ones that truly surprise you with something new.
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