Red Sparrow director Francis Lawrence admits to having had meetings about Marvel and DC films before. Lawrence is a unique filmmaker known for directing movies such as Constantine and I Am Legend, as well as the last three installments in The Hunger Games film series. That professional relationship he had with Jennifer Lawrence on Hunger Games is what eventually led the two to partner on Red Sparrow.
Lawrence’s Red Sparrow is an upcoming spy film based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Jason Matthews, in which Russian intelligence operative (known as a Sparrow), Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence), considers becoming a double agent as she seemingly falls in love with CIA officer, Nathaniel Nash (Joel Edgerton). So far, Red Sparrow‘s story and trailer have drawn comparisons to Marvel’s Black Widow, which may not be a bad thing, for Lawrence admits to having had meetings about directing a Marvel film before. However, those meetings were never with Marvel Studios.
Related: Red Sparrow Director Responds To Black Widow Comparisons
In an interview for Red Sparrow on MTV’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Francis Lawrence admits that he’s had meetings about directing both Marvel and DC films but never for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And he also says that he’s definitely not interested in taking on one of the projects either.
“I’ve definitely had a few – I’ve never had a Marvel meeting. I’ve never had a Marvel meeting with Marvel people. I have been offered Marvel material at other studios; I haven’t been interested. And I’ve had a DC meeting.”
Lawrence also confirmed that his meetings about directing a Marvel film were with 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures, presumably for either X-Men or Spider-Man. Given the types of directors that Fox seems to be courting for Gambit, it stands to reason that Lawrence was approached for that film at one point in time. Unfortunately, though, he doesn’t divulge which movies he was offered – for Marvel or DC. And considering that he previously directed Constantine, he would’ve been the perfect candidate for DCEU’s Justice League Dark. But he’s not interested in that project or any comic book film, for that matter.
“You mean Justice League Dark? You know, I don’t know. I have to say that I have not been that drawn to comic book stories as of late. I mean, my first movie was one; I just haven’t been drawn to them, I don’t know why.”
Lawrence isn’t the only director in Hollywood that isn’t interested in making a comic book movie at this time, and he’s certainly not the only one who’s made one before and is currently unwilling to do so again. But still, it would be interesting to find out which movies he was offered and approached for, and what those movies would’ve been like under his direction. For now, though, audiences can see him direct the Black Widow-esque film, Red Sparrow.
More: It’s Too Late Now For A Black Widow Movie
Key Release Dates
Red Sparrow
Release Date:2018-03-02
