Here's Why We'll Probably Never See A Director's Cut Of An Edgar Wright Movie
English director Edgar Wright has developed a reputation as a precise filmmaker whose vision and style are felt in every frame of the films he produces. However, there is one aspect of control Wright has willingly distanced himself from — the post-theatre directors cut.
While Wright has been making films and television since the 1990s, his first major hit was 2004's "Shaun of the Dead," a comedy that parodied the zombie genre as much as it celebrated it. From there, Wright produced what would become the second film in the so-called "Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy," "Hot Fuzz," which would eventually be followed by "The World's End." These films all shared certain stylistic features and themes, in addition to starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, and helped Wright establish his distinctive approach to filmmaking with audiences.
Outside of that, the director lent his talents to unforgettable films like "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" and "Baby Driver," demonstrating that he could make great movies without his most frequent collaborators. Wright now has a new film in theaters, "Last Night in Soho," and he took to Reddit in an Ask Me Anything to field questions about the upcoming movie, his career as a filmmaker, and his feelings on director's cuts.
Edgar Wright says he 'couldn't imagine going back and re-editing' a finished film
During the AMA, Edgar Wright answered various questions about his previous films and "Last Night in Soho." One fan was curious if the famously exacting director had trouble reigning in his instincts to alter his films after they had their theatrical release.
Redditor u/TakedownCorn asked, "Do you find it difficult to not over edit your [movies], or not to continually tinker?" While fans might expect Wright to confess to an impulse to exert continuing control over his films, the director responded with a definitive negative. Wright wrote, "I think when it's done, it's done. I couldn't imagine going back and re-editing something."
The director expanded on that feeling, citing the controversial changes made to the theatrical cut of the original "Star Wars" and the versions that were made available on home media decades later. Wright explained, "I'm always a bit curious about Director's Cuts long after the fact. I still want the '77 Star Wars as I never want to see '97 Jabba the Hutt again."
Wright has made his feelings on revisiting his past work clear before, such as when he revealed the real reason why fans never saw a sequel to "Shaun of the Dead," explaining that he had said what he had to say in that film and didn't need to revisit it. It seems that while Wright may emphasize strict control over his creative efforts, once he is satisfied with the results, he is happy to leave it be.