In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Matthew Vaughn, the director behind ‘Argylle,’ voiced his opinions on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s approach to its films while using Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor as an example.
Vaughn was initially attached to helm the Thor movie before Kenneth Branagh took the reins. Speaking to Rolling Stone, he shared his thoughts on what could have been a different path for Thor and why Marvel’s current trajectory might not be hitting the mark.
The director revealed that his vision for Thor was based on a Viking setting, complete with the halls of Valhalla. So, he thought of offering a fresh origin story for Chris Hemsworth’s character. However, this approach was set aside by Marvel. Vaughn explained:
“It was a really good script written by Mark Protosevich, and we were working on it together. It was a take on the Vikings and was set in the world where the Vikings were ruling, they believed in Thor, and Thor being banished to the Viking world, and having the sh*t kicked out of him for saying he’s a god. And Loki got him vanished.
So, you had the best of both worlds: Valhalla and this gritty, documentary-style Viking movie. I was really excited, but when I was working with Marvel at that time, they were fledgling, had put all their chips on ‘Iron Man,’ and I wanted to get on with it, but they weren’t ready to push the button.”
The ‘Argylle’ director didn’t stop at merely recounting what might have been. He critiqued superhero films, revealing the real reason that the genre has been struggling:
“You’ll have to ask Kevin Feige why I haven’t done a Marvel movie since. Everyone says there’s ‘superhero fatigue,’ and I think there’s ‘bad superhero movies fatigue,’ so maybe Deadpool and Wolverine will re-spark people wanting to see them. We have to make better superhero films. I don’t know what happened. I think the formula became more important than the movie. But I’d love to do one someday.”
Vaughn Believes MCU Overshadows Creativity
Marvel’s decision-making process during the development phase of ‘Thor,’ as Vaughn notes, prioritized a formulaic approach over potentially groundbreaking narratives. This choice, according to Vaughn, might be indicative of a larger issue within Marvel Studios, where the allure of sticking to a tried-and-tested formula has overshadowed the creative storytelling that once made its films stand out.
Despite Vaughn’s departure from ‘Thor’ and his critiques of Marvel’s current state, the director remains open to the idea of directing a superhero film in the future. His vision for what superhero movies can be — balancing the fantastic with the realistic — suggests he might make a potential return to the genre, possibly even within the MCU.
So, with the future of Thor in the MCU still an open question, and Hemsworth open to new directions for his character, Vaughn could offer a new take on the superhero genre with his vision. In the meantime, Vaughn continues his producing career with the recent announcement of his involvement in producing a third Kick-Ass film, ‘School Fight,’ alongside other projects.
